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DYSPEPSIA 



AND HOW TO CURE IT. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS AND OF 
THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF FOOD. 



SPECIAL CHAPTERS ON OBESITY. LEANNESS ANT) 
THE SKIN. 



/ 



BY 

M. T. GERIX-LAJOIE, M. D., C. M. 

Member of the "New Hampshire Medical Society J' Member of the 

"Societe Francaise tP Electrotherapies of Paris; Member 

of the • Soeiete tf Hypnologie" of Paris: Pt<\, etc. 



SIXTH EDITION. 



NASHUA, N. H. H \ ' 

TELEGRAPH PUBLISHING COMPANY. 




i»95- 



7^ 






<v 






Copyrighted, 1895, by M. T. Gerin-Lajoie, M. D., C. M. 



It? 



AUTHORS REFERRED TO IN THIS BOOK. 

P. Tillaux. — Typographical anatomy Professor at Univer- 
sity (Paris). 

Gray. — Anatomy. 

Thenard. — First to extract '^mazo!^" from meat. 

Chevalier and Bandrimont. — On wines. 

Hunter.— Abont obesity. 

Pidonx. — Rapport de l'herpetisme et des dyspepsies (Paris). 

Brocq. — Maladies de la Peau (Paris). 

Ewald. — Diseases of the stomach (Berlin). 

Dienlafoy. — Pathologie Interne (Professor at University), 
Paris. 

Hartshorne. — Essentials of the Principles and Practice of 
Medicine (Philadelphia). 

Dujardin-Beanmetz. — Journal de Therapentique, 1880, p. S28. 

W. Jaworski. — Mnnichener Med. Worchensch., 1S87, Xo. 33. 

Austin Flint. — Flint's Practice of Medicine (Philadelphia) 
1881, p.477- 

Rossier. — Merycisme hereditaire, etc. Annal. de la Soc. de 
Med. d'Anvers, Avril-Mai, 18S7. 

F. Kretschy. — Deutches Archiv. fur Klin. Med., Bd. iS, S. 

257- 

E. Fleischer. — Berl. Klin. Worchensch.. 1SS2, Xo. 7. 

Ewald and Boas. — Virchow's Archiv. Bd. 104. 

H. Kirsh.— Dyspepsia uterina. Berl. Klin. Worehenschi, 
1S83, Xo. 18. 

Rossbach. — Gastroxynsis. 

Lepine. — "Xervous Gastroxia." Bull, de la Soc. Med. des 
Hopitaux, 10 Avril, 1885. 

Germain See. — Des dyspepsies gastro-intestinales, 1S83 
(Paris). 



ii AUTHORS REFERRED TO. 

W. Fenwick.— Virchow's Archiv. 1889, Bd. 113, S. 189. 

Louis. — De la Tuberculose. 

Hutchinson. — The Morbid States of the Stomach and Duo- 
denum (London, 1878). 

Rosenthal. — Berliner Klin. Worchensch., 1888, No. 45. 

Hayem.— Des alterations du Chimisme Stomacal dans la 
chlorose. Bull. Medical, 1891, No. 87. 

Biernaki. — Berl. Klin. Worchensch. 1891, Nos. 25 and 26. 

Colleville. — Progress Medical, 1883, No. 20. 

Charcot. — Des crises tabetiques, etc., Gazette Med. des Paris 
1889, No. 39. 

Rosenstein. — Berliner Klin. Worchensch. 1890, No. 13. 

Burney Yeo. — On the Treatment of the Gouty Constitution, 
British Medical Journal, January 7 and 14, 1888. 



TABLE OF MATTERS. 

PAGE. 

Introduction. 

PART I 

Life, its chemical definition. i 

CHAPTER I. 

§i. Description of the digestive organs : — The mouth 
and the teeth, their functions. The salivary 
glands, their use and functions. The saliva. The 
tongue, and where are the senses of taste, of 
flavor, etc. §ii. The pharynx, the oesophagus, 
and their function indigestion. §iiiandiv. The 
stomach, its anatomy, its position and its func- 
tions. The muscular (?), the cellulous and the 
mucous coats and their blood supply, their 
glands, etc. The nerves of the stomach, right 
and left pneumogastrics, and the sympathy:: : 
nerves. Chymification proec — 3 

CHAPTER II. 

>ji. Intestines ; division. Small intestines*: duodenum, 
jegunum and ileon. Large intestines : coecum, 
colon and rectum, §ii. Small intestine, its for 
position and function; glands, chylification. 
>jiii, Large intestine, its position and function. 
§iv. Digestive juices. §v. Saliva. §vi. Gasti 
juice. >Jvii. Pancreatic juice. §viii. Bile. 9 



TABLE OK MATTERS. 



CHAPTER III. 



§i. Digestion, its influence over body and mind. §ii. 
Where food is digested ; physiology teaches us 
that meats and the azotous part of food are di- 
gested in the stomach, that fats, oils and fecula 
are not digested or transformed in the stomach, 
but in the duodenum under the influence of the 
bile and pancreatic juice, they are divided and ab- 
sorbed to pass into our blood. vSalts in food and 
where they go. 14 

CHAPTER IV. 

Classification of food : 1st, Hydrocarbonated and where 
it goes, its importance to our life ; 2nd, Albumin- 
oids, which goes to all our tissues ; 3d, Fats and 
their necessity ; A, Who ought to eat food of the 
first class ; B, Who ought to eat food of the second 
class ; C, Where food of the third class goes. Con- 
siderations on food of these three classes. Which 
food lean persons ought to eat; which one fat 
persons are to avoid. 16 

CHAPTER V. 

§i. Meats. §ii. Dark red colored meats, their effect up- 
on the system and blood, the different kinds. §iii. 
Red colored meats, different kinds and their 
effects. §iv. White colored meats, their action 
upon the system and blood. 19 

CHAPTER VI. 

§i. Eggs, composition, kinds, how to eat them, how to 
find their age. §ii. Milk, its composition, howto 
take it. §iii. Butter, cheese, fats and oils. §iv. 
Salt. §v. Bread. §vi. Rice, macaroni, vermi- 
celli. 22 



TABLE OK MATTERS. v 

CHAPTER VII. 

Vegetables, §i. Potatoes, composition, use. §ii. Sweet 
potatoes. §iii. Jerusalem artichoke. §iv. Carrots, 
cabbage, beets, turnips, onions. §v. Peas, beans, 
corn. §vi. Lentils, squash, tomatoes, olives, cu- 
cumbers, celery, salads. 27 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Considerations on pastry, 32 

CHAPTER IX. 

Fruits, ^i. Pickles, melons (cantaloup), watermelons, 
dates, figs, dry raisins ; prunes, their use in con- 
stipation for women especially, peaches, grapes, 
apples. §ii. Honey is said to insure long life 33 

CHAPTER X. 

Beverages, $i. Water, its danger. §ii. Different liquors 
made in each country. §iii. Wines, and those 
preferred by great men. §iv. 1st class, wines, 
which act upon the digestion — 2nd class, those 
more alcoholic — 3rd class, sweet and generous 
wines — 4th class, champagne, etc. Table of 
wines and their proportion of alcohol. §v. Alco- 
holic liquors. §vi. Malt liquors. §vii. Ciders 
(perry). §viii. Hydromel, how to make it. §ix. 
Cordials. §x. Consideration on alcoholic liquors 
and how to fight intemperance. §xi. Vinegar, its 
effects upon digestion and blood. §xii. Sugar, its 
action upon the stomach contents. 36 

CHAPTER XI. 

§i. Coffee, what organ it mostly has effect upon ; how 
to make a good cup of coffee. §ii. Teas, black and 
green, etc. §iii. Cocoa, where it is found and in 



vi TABLE OF MATTERS. 

what way it is mostly eaten — Chocolate, to whom 

it is specially adapted. 47 

CHAPTER XII. 

General considerations about food and constitutions or 
temperaments. §i. Sanguine temperament : By 
what constituted. Best food for it. What food to 
reject. Its danger. §ii. Bilious temperament, 
By what constituted. Best food for such temper- 
ament. Its danger. §iii. Nervous temperament. 
What constitutes it. What is the best regime. 
What food to avoid. State of general system 
when errors of diet are made. 52 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Obesity — What the Spartans thought of it — What foods 
are transformed into adipose tissue. What foods 
to avoid — What foods to eat to cure obesity. 
What beverages to take, and how to take care of 
the general system — Baths — Hunter's idea about 
obesity — Food ; Hygienic, and electrical treat- 
ments. History of a very interesting case. 

CHAPTER XIV. 55 

Leanness — Its causes — : Food to be taken — What food to 
avoid — Regime — Baths, and care of the bowels in 
leanness. 59 

CHAPTER XV. 

The Skin. §i. 1st, food that has an immediate action — 
The way it acts — History of an interesting case. 
2nd, food of slow action — Hygiene of the skin — 
What kinds of baths for different skins — How to 
preserve the freshness of face and shoulders — 



TABLE OF MATTERS. vii 

How to get rid of blackheads and how to have a 
nice skin. 61 

Table of foods. 68 

PART II. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Dyspepsia. §i. Persons affected. §ii. Kinds of dyspep- 
sia — Every case of dyspepsia has more or less 
nervous weakness attending it — What Ewald says 
about " nervous dyspepsia" or Neurosis of the 
stomach — How nervous dyspepsia is brought 
about — What Dieulafoy says about it. §iii. Cause 
of dyspepsia — What Hartshorne writes about it — 
Different causes of dyspepsia — Mental strain of 
every description — Cause pertaining to the teeth, 
imperfect mastication— Inordinate use of spirits, 
opium, tobacco, coffee, tea — Dyspepsia with ''so- 
ciety people" — Reflex symptom of a diseased or- 
gan, such as the brain, spinal column, ovaries, 
womb, etc — "Dyspepsia uterina," etc. 71 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Diagnosis. §i. To differentiate between a local or gener- 
al cause ; or if due to a remote diseased organ. 
§ii, Prognosis — Treatment must be gradual and 
there are many "rechutes." 79 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

Symptoms of Dyspepsia — General symptoms — Pain in 
the stomach — Neuralgia — Vomiting — Merycism 
Palpitation of the heart — History of two very in- 
teresting cases, observations IX and XXI — Crav- 
ing hunger — "Nervous Gastroxia ,, — Disorders of 
the vision— Foul breath — Skin shows symptoms 
of digestive disturbances — Dyspeptic cough — Con- 
stipation — Intestinal dyspepsia. 81 



viii TABLE OF MATTERS. 

CHAPTER XIX. 
Treatment of Dyspepsia— Hygenic — Temperance in 
food and drink — Regular habits — Nnmber of 
meals — Seventeen rules to follow. Medial — 
Pepsin — Elixir peptogene — Hydrochloric acid — 
Lavage of the stomach — Bitters — Eleven prescrip- 
tions — Danger of Carlsbad and Marienbad waters 
— Hot milk — Cardialgia — Gastralgia — Its treat- 
ment — Pyrosis — Its treatment — In "Nervous dis- 
eases" of the stomach — Constant electrical cur- 
rent — Faradic current — Albuminate of Iron — Con- 
stipation — Its treatment. Electrical — Special 
treatment of the author — Description of treat- 
ment — Its effects upon dyspeptics — History of a 
few cases — Observation VI — Observation XIX — 
Observation XXXIX. 92 

CHAPTER XX. 

Gases in the Stomach and Intestines — Gastro-intestinal 
pneumatosis, or Flatulent Dyspepsia — Gas in the 
intestines, why? — Food that will bring on gases 
— Gas is formed by fermentation — by abnormal se- 
cretion of the mucous membrane of the stomach 
and intestines — Symptoms — Belching — Regurgi- 
tation — Oppression — Slow digestion — Distention 
of stomach — Vicious circle — Palpitation of the 
heart — Diminished mental activity — Sleep and 
dreams — Treatment. no 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Diseases of organs, other than the stomach, causing 
dyspeptic disturbances. Tuberculosis — Dys- 
pepsia in tuberculosis— Anemia and Chlorosis 
—their dyspeptic symptoms— Heart Disease- 
Diseases of the Kidneys— Dyspepsia in float- 
ing Kidneys— Li YER— difficulty to find whether 
the liver or the stomach is first affected. DIABE- 
TES— Alwavs examine urine in a middle aged 
dyspeptic — Gout — Rheumatic Diathesis — 
Skin— Malarial Poisoning. 115 

Electricity Appendix. 1 



INTRODUCTION. 

This little book does not hope for perfection ; 
but if these few pages can point out, to those tor- 
mented by dyspepsia, the means of relief from its 
distress, then the author will be rewarded for his 
work by the knowledge that he has saved his fel- 
low-men from pain. 

The Author. 



ERRATA. 
Page 6, line 40. For plate in, read plate iv. 
Page 6, line 5. For plate in, page 8, read plate IV, page 10. 
Page 8, last line. For plate in, read plate iv. 
Page 13, line 12. For plate iv, read plate in. 
Page 13, line 18. For plate iv, read plate in. 



LIFE. 



ITS CHEMICAL DEFINITION. 

Life is an unceasing and noiseless combustion — 
The food is the fuel ; the digestive canal represents 
the laboratory where combustion and the resulting 
different changes take place. This animal com- 
bustion begins with life and continues without in- 
terruption until death. Our body is incessantly 
destroyed and renewed until renewal ceases, then 
life becomes extinct. 

To keep a fire up the burnt combustible must 
necessarily be reDlaced, likewise the stomach 
must be given food to keep up that unknown 
force which is called Life. Digestion is, therefore 
the indispensable function, the absolute necessity 
to keep up the kv vital fire.' 1 

The word combustible, applied in an indirect 
way to food, is not a metaphor, as our food con- 
tains more or less carbon combined with other 
principles. Carbon passes in the blood which ar- 
rives at the lungs through the pulmonary arteries, 



2 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

there it is burnt by the oxygen of the inhaled air, 
and comes out at each expiration in the form of 
carbonic acid. Therefore there is real combus- 
tion ; and it is by the combustion in the lungs 
that, always at the same degree, the temperature 
of our body is kept up in the coldest as well as in the 
hottest climes. 

Without oil the lamp will not burn, 
Without food life comes to an end. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 



CHAPTER I. 



ORGANS OF DIGESTION. 



To understand well by what mechanism dyspep- 
sia can be brought on, we must know which are the 
organs that prepare, transform and absorb our food. 
We will find here the place for a summary descrip- 
tion of the digestive organs, their position, func- 
tions, etc. 

§1. THE MOUTH. 

We all know what the mouth is and where it 
is situated ; but very few know how to use the 
knives and millstones (teeth) which nature has 
placed there. Teeth are an ornament, but they are 
especially instrumental in cutting up and grinding 
the solid food, so that the saliva (furnished by the 
salivary glands, parotide, sub-maxillary and sub- 
lingual) will thoroughly penetrate it and prepare 
it for more important transformation in the stom- 
ach. 

The sense of taste, of flavor, the action of turn- 
ing the food ground by the teeth, the action of re- 
jecting foreign substances, etc., are vested in the 
tongue. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 




Plate I. The mouth, teeth, tongue and the salivary glands. 
§11. THE PHARYNX AND THE CESOPHAGUS. 

At the posterior part of the mouth is the phar- 
ynx, which receives the food after its passage 
through the glottis,* the oesophagus 's function is 

*Glottis is the door at the posterior part of the mouth 
which closes the larynx, when food is to go to the pharynx. 

Author. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 



to transmit to the stomach what the pharynx gave 
up to it. From the lips to the stomach is a tube 
composed of : The mouth, the pharynx and the 
oesophagus. 




Prettier Cstr****** 

Plate II. Incorrect position of the stomach. 



§111. 



THE STOMACH. 



The most important organ of digestion is the 
stomach. It is a large sac with t^vo openings; one 
for the inlet of food and drink, the cardiac orifice; 
the other for the outlet of the transformed food. 



6 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

the pyloric orifice. Contrary to what is generally 
believed the stomach does not lie horizontally, as in 
plate ii ; but almost perpendicularly, as in plate 
hi. 

This position, (plate in, page 8,) of the stomach 
will explain easily why dyspeptics often have pal- 
pitations of the heart. The gases accumulate in 
the upper extremity of the stomach and trouble 
the action of the heart ; even sudden death has been 
caused in this way after a copious meal. In 1892, 
a young man, 21 years of age, who was troubled 
with dyspepsia, took quite a solid supper well along 
in the evening, just before retiring. His compan- 
ion awoke a few hours after to find his bed-mate 
dead. An autopsy was made and no heart disease 
could be found to have caused death, but gases 
were found to have accumulated in the stomach and 
brought on a syncope which caused his demise. 

The stomach is composed of three different coats : 

1 st. The muscular coat composed of three sets of 
fibres : the longitudinal, circular and oblique. In 
these reside the combined contractions which trit- 
urate the food (chymification process). 

2d. The cellulous coat connecting the muscular 
with the mucous coat. 

3d. The mucous coat, better called the mucous 
membrane of the stomach. This is the most im- 
portant of the three ; the gastric juice is secreted 
by glands called the peptic glands which are in this 
mucous membrane. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 




Pirate III. xlnterior walls of stomach and intestine taken 
away, so as to show the interior, and also the relations to 
the stomach of the pancreatic gland, gall bladder, etc. 



8 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

Arteries. The blood supply is furnished by ar- 
teries : The coronaria, pyloric, gastro- epiploic and 
vasa brevia arteries. Numerous veins absorb some 
of the nourishing principles to throw them in the 
torrent of circulation, for it is in the stomach the 
digestion of all albuminoids and meat takes place. 
The food after its transformation in the stomach is 
called the chyme. 

Nerves. The nerves presiding over digestion are : 
The terminal branches of the right and left pneumo- 
gastrics, the former being distributed over the pos- 
terior and the latter over the anterior part of the 
stomach ; the sympathetic also supplies the organ 
with a number of branches. These nerves are the 
principal ones in our body, running down directly 
from the head, furnishing a few branches to the 
heart and lungs on their way to the stomach. We 
can now readily understand why one has a head- 
ache when the stomach is over- worked ; the digest- 
ive disturbance is telegraphed to the head through 
the nerves, the result being a sick headache. 

§IV. POSITION OF THE STOMACH. 

The position of the stomach is splendidly illus- 
trated in plate in, and it is self-explanatory. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 



CHAPTER II. 

§1. INTESTINES. FORM, SITUATION AND FUNC- 
TIONS. 

The intestinal tube comprises six different intes- 
tines in its length. 

Three, the duodenum, the ileon and the jegu- 
num form the small intestine. 

The other three, the coecum, the colon and the 
rectum, form the large intestine. 

For the more easy comprehension of our subject 
we will leave the subdivision and will speak only 
of the small intestine and the large intestine. 

§11. SMALL INTESTINE. 

The small intestine begins at the pyloric orifice 
of the stomach and ends at the ileo-coecal valve 
(which separates it from the large intestine.) It 
is about 21 feet in length. 

Like the stomach it has three coats : The muscu- 
lar, cellular (or submucous) and the mucous coats ; 
in this last one are many glands and absorbing ves- 
sels which aid and complete the process of diges- 
tion. 



10 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 




Pirate III. Correct position of the stomach and other or- 
gans. 



. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 11 



EXPLANATION TO PLATE III. 

Appendix (blind bowel.) 

Angle of the colon. 

Heart. 

Cardia (outlined by dotted lines) of the stomach. 

Colon. 

Colon. 

Ccecum. 

Colon (part of which has been taken away to show 
underlying organs.) 

Diaphragm. 

Duodenum (outlined to jegunum), small intestine. 

Stomach (the cardiac part of which is inside the dot- 
ted lines). 

Liver, the left lobe covers part of the stomach. 

All the space from F. D. J. and M. dowm to the blad- 
der is filled by the small intestines. 

Last end of small intestine. 

Jegunum, small intestine. 

Pleura. 

Lung. 

Spleen. 

Right Kidney, { They are not seen but are located 

Left Kidney, J in the back. 

Space w T here fluid will first be found in pleurisy. 

Iliac S. leading to rectum. In front of which is seen 
the superior part of the bladder. 
10 C. Tenth right rib. 





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c. 




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A. 


s. 




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c. 


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E. 




c. 


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D. 




D. 


U. 

E. 

F. 


F, 


, D 


. G 
M. 




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G. 

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P. 




P. 


0. 
R. 




R. 


D. 




R. 


G. 


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! 



12 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

The chyme is mixed with the bile, the pancreatic 
juice and the secretions of the various glands im- 
bedded in the mucous membrane. In the small in- 
testine is where the separation of the nutritive prin- 
ciples of food, is affected ; this constitutes chy lift ca- 
tion. The nutritive part is absorbed to pass into 
our blood, the residue moves on into the large in- 
testine. 

§111. LARGE INTESTINE. 

The large intestine is short, only about five feet 
long. Its position needs no description as plate in 
will show it very well. 

The large intestine absorbs very little and takes 
but an inactive part in digestion ; it serves more as 
a reservoir for that portion of the food intended by 
nature to be thrown away. 

§IV. DIGESTIVE JUICES. 

There are four digestive juices : the saliva, the 
gastric and the pancreatic juices, and the bile. 

§v. saliva. 

The saliva begins digestion, in the mouth, by 
penetrating every particle of food, and its action 
goes on even in the stomach, helping the gastric 
juice. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 13 

§VI. GASTRIC JUICE. 

The gastric juice and saliva transform, in the 
stomach, all the albuminoid principles into pepton, 
which passes directly, it is claimed, into the circu- 
lation to form the albumen of the blood. 

§VII. PANCREATIC JUICE. 

The pancreatic juice is so rich with albumen that 
it coagulates by heat. It is absolutely essential for 
the minute division of the fatty vegetable and ani- 
mal principles ; it is only in this extremely divided 
state they can be absorbed and assimilated. The 
pancreatic juice is secreted by the pancreas (or 
pancreatic gland) , located near the stomach as seen 
in plate iv. 

§VIII. BILE. 

The bile is a yellow fluid secreted by the liver, 
and is thrown into the small intestine (duodenum) 
through a canal, the choledoch duct, at the hours of 
digestion only. If there is too much bile secreted 
the surplus goes to the reservoir, called gall blad- 
der (plate iv), through the cystic canal. 

In the healthful state there is never any bile in 
the stomach, if any is found it means that there is 
a trouble in the stomach or that an emetic has been 
administered. The bile is the antiseptic of the bow- 
els, it keeps that part of the food which is to be 
thrown away from putrifying in the bowels. 



14 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 



CHAPTER III. 

§1. DIGESTION. 

Digestion is the most important function of our 
organism : Its influence over body and mind is in- 
controvertible. An easy digestion makes one feel 
in high spirits and cheerful ; — the limbs feel heavy, 
the brain is less active and the temper is none too 
good when digestion is laborious. 

The stomach and the intestines, weakened either 
by excess in eating or drinking, or by any other 
cause, first will not work well, and if the excesses 
recur too often, the stomach will become irritated, 
finally contracting one of those horrible diseases 
called, neuroses of the stomach, gastralgia, chronic 
gastritis, flatulent dyspepsia, etc., etc. Pity to 
those who do not promptly put themselves under 
the care of a physician, for they will ever be miser- 
able and in constant pain. 

§11. WHERE FOOD IS DIGESTED. 

Physiology teaches us, contrary to what is gener- 
ally believed, that all food is not digested in the 
stomach. 

The meats and the azotous part in eggs, milk, 






DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 15 

cheese, and vegetables are digested in the stomach 
or rather dissolved by the gastric juice. 

Fats, oils and fecula in the food are not digested 
or transformed in the stomach ; but when the chyme 
passes into the small intestine (duodenum) , where 
it meets the bile and pancreatic juice, by the com- 
bined action of which these fats, oils and fecula are 
divided into extremely small particles, and absorbed 
by the abdominal veins to pass into our circulation 
to be deposited in our organs. 

The different salts contained in food or water are 
dissolved in the stomach and pass to our body, i. e.: 
chloride of sodium goes specially to the cartilages ; 
— the phosphates and carbonates of lime go to the 
bones ; — the salts of potassium, magnesium and 
some sodium to our muscles ; — the salts of iron to 
our blood; — sulphur, silica and iron to the marrow 
and to the hair. 



16 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 



CHAPTER IV. 

CLASSIFICATION OF FOOD.* 

Food is divided into three classes: 

i st. The Hydro- Carbonates composed of wat- 
er and carbon, such as sugars, gums, fecula, mu- 
cilages, starch, honey, etc., etc. These substan- 
ces, part of our daily meals, give rise to the fol- 
lowing phenomenon; " they are immediately de- 
stroyed by the general combustion which keeps up 
life, and, notwithstanding the enormous amount 
taken every day, chemical analysis will detect but 
very slight traces of them in our organs. n 

To this class also belong the vegetables, though 
some contain little or no azote ; some, like our peas, 
beans, lentils, corn, etc., contain a certain amount. 

2d. The Albuminoids composed of hydrogen, 
oxygen, of little carbon and of much azote ; the 
flesh, blood and the cartilages of animals, gelatine, 
the gluten of corn, the legumine in beans, len- 
tils, peas, etc.; the albumen in potatoes, etc., etc. 



* There is a table in Chapter 15 dividing food into three 
classes : 1st, easy of digestion ; 2d, moderately digestible ; 3d, 
hard to digest. Author. 






DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 17 

These foods furnish their substance to all our tis- 
sues, from our skin to the marrow of our bones. 
3d. The Fats composed of much carbon and 
hydrogen, little oxygen and of no azote : tallow, 
animal and vegetable fats, oils, butter, etc., etc. 

A. The food of the first class gives its carbon , 
which, burning unceasingly, distributes the vital 
heat to our body. These foods will suit nervous, 
excitable, delicate persons who, by their great ac- 
tivity, lose considerable nervous strength, the food 
of this class will have the advantage of keeping up 
their strength without excessive excitation. 

B. The food of the second class is more suit- 
able to the formation, to the preservation and to 
the growth of our organs, and especially to the 
nutrition of our muscular system. It will add 
to the muscular strength and increase it greatly. 
Of this class ought to be the food taken by con- 
valescents with proper graduation as to quantity, 
etc. 

C. All food of the third class is deposited in 
our tissues in the form of fat. 

When the food of the first class, that is, that 
which feeds the untiring combustion, is suppressed 
or not well assimilated, form am cause, the fat of 
our body is reabsorbed and burnt to keep up our 
vital heat. Fat is to our living body what oil is 
to a burning lamp. That is why a fleshy (fat) 



18 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

person can go through a long period of absolute 
fasting, to which would succumb a thin person. 
We know that Hibernant animals will be three or 
four months without eating and will live on the 
fat accumulated during the preceding months. 

Experience teaches us that : — When fats are ex- 
cluded from our diet, or not assimilated, our body 
grows thin ; w r hilst their excessive use will cause 
the disagreeable condition called obesity. There- 
fore fat and sedentary persons will do well to eat 
food mostly of the second class. Active, lean per- 
sons ought to eat food mostly of the other two class- 
es. 




DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 19 



CHAPTER V. 

§1. MEATS. 

I will say right here that cook-books will tell 
you how to cook both vegetables and meats ; but, 
as a rule all foods that can be cooked in or with 
their juice ought to be so prepared. The best 
book on the art of cooking and serving every 
immaginable food is that of Mr. Ranhofer, the 
French chef of Delmonico's. 

Meat (flesh of animals or of fishes) being the 
most important article of food, we will give a de- 
scription of the various kinds and their special 
properties, with a few words as to which constitu- 
tion will be more benefited by their individual use. 

§11. DARK RED COLORED MEATS. 

These meats are exciting and very nutritive be- 
cause they contain so much fibrin and osmazone.* 
They increase the vital energy and the muscular 
strength. A long continued use of them is too ex- 
citing, and will cause the blood to become too 



*Composed of creatine, creatinine, sarcosine, etc. First ex- 
tracted by Thenard. Author. 



20 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

plastic, too thick;* only strong stomachs can di- 
gest these meats. Weak, nervous persons with 
an irritable stomach will eat very sparingly of the 
following meats ; stag, venison, hare, wild boar, 
pork, sheep of two or more years, horse flesh, etc. 
This latter one is a much better food than one would 
think, a well cooked steak of young horse is really 
good, as I happen to know from experience ; but 
it makes a rather thin broth! 

Of the birds you have wood-doves (queest), 
turtledoves, lap- wings, sparrows, woodcocks, snipe, 
wild geese and ducks, moorhens, plovers, widgeons, 
etc., and most all the wild birds. 

The constant use of this class of food will cause 
intestinal irritation ; additional to this, to plethoric 
persons is the danger of a stroke of apoplexy, as 
these foods thicken the blood. 

§111. RED FLESH MEATS. 

These are less exciting than the preceding, and 
can be taken, with generally good results, by all 
constitutions and in all seasons. Eaten with fec- 
ula, with vegetables, according to the individual 
taste, they compose the best of nourishments. 

In this class are beef, mutton, pork of four to 
ten months old, etc., pigeon, lark, bustard, par- 

*A11 acids or acid fruits as vinegar, lemon juice have the 
effect of making the blood thin. Author. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 21 

t ridge, etc ; fish of rose colored flesh as salmon, 
shad, lobster, tunny, etc. 

As a rule all meats are more nourishing when 
roasted and ought to be cooked that way. 

These meats form the most favorable nourish- 
ment for the building of the muscular system, es- 
pecially when they are roasted. 

The fibrine in the meat forms the muscular fi- 
bre. 

§IV. WHITE FLESH MEATS. 

In this class we find veal, lamb, kid, rabbit, 
young pheasant, quail, young partridge, chicken, 
rail, frog, oysters, halibut, etc., and all the white 
flesh fishes. 

These meats are not so nourishing as those of 
the first two classes, but they are particularly 
called for when the stomach is weak. Convales- 
cents, delicate, irritable, nervous women, and 
those whose constitution is bilious will do well to 
diet mostly on those meats. 



22 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 



CHAPTER VI. 

§1. EGGS. 

The most nutritions food after meat is undoubt- 
edly the egg, which is, with milk, what is called 
a complete food.* The egg is composed of three 
parts : ist, the shell ; 2d, the white ; and 3d, the 
yolk. The shell is not eaten. The white is com- 
posed of albumine and water mostly, of salts, su- 
gar and of lactic acid. 

The yolk of 

Albumine ^ 

Vitelline > Azotous substances. 

Fibrine } 

, T . > Carbonated substances. 

Margarine > 

Salts, ammonia and fatty substance. 

The eggs mostly used are those of hen, duck, 
turkey, etc. Hen and goose eggs, in the order 
named, are the ones most exclusively used. 



*We call a food complete, when it is composed of album- 
inous matter, of fat and of different salts which are found in the 
blood. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 23 

To be a complete nourishment however, the egg 
must be fresh and not cooked hard, as little of it 
will be dissolved by the gastric juice if hard. 

Here is a good way to take eggs : Beat the 
whites of two eggs in some good spring water and 
drink this twice a day or oftener ; twice or thrice a 
week include a yolk with, the whites of the eggs. 
Almost any stomach will retain this very nour- 
ishing food. 

A fresh egg will go to the bottom of the water, 
whilst eggs 15 or 20 days old will float on the water 
or midway between the surface of the water and the 
bottom of the receptacle. 

§11. milk. 

Milk is composed of butyrum, four parts, case- 
tun, three parts, sugar of milk, five parts, salts and 
water, 88 parts. Though milk is a complete food 
and that the human body can live on it in child- 
hood, afterwards our body must have a mixed nu- 
trition. 

Milk is adapted particularly to nervous constitu- 
tions, to convalescents, etc., but many weak stom- 
achs will not digest it. This is when u pepsin M is 
not to be found in sufficient quantity in the stomach. 

I have known dyspeptics to live for months al- 
most exclusively on hot or warm milk, either pure 
or taken with chocolate, where cold milk could not 



24 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

be retained by the stomach. It brings calm to the 
nerves, and it will make lean persons grow fat if 
they take it in large quantities. Boiled milk, with 
a little salt added to make it palatable, is one of the 
most healthful drinks. It soothes an irritated stom- 
ach, it nourishes the flesh tissues and tends to make 
the complexion clear. 

§111. BUTTER, CHEESE, FATS AND OILS. 

Butter is a food used the world over ; it is more 
easily digested when a little salt has been added to 
it. Melted butter is always hard to digest. 

Cheese ought to be eaten only when fresh ; never 
when it has any odor, much less when travelers 
creep in it. 

Fats and Oils. Those especially who want to add 
to their adipose tissue ought to eat fats and oils ; 
they are easily digested, and are very nourishing 
when taken in small quantities with other victuals ; 
they will be more easily digested if a little salt is 
added to them. 

§IV. SALT. 

i Salt, or chloride of sodium, is a necessity in our 
nourishment, not only because it renders food 
more easily digested, but also because it furnishes 
to our blood the chloride of sodium it loses through 
the excretions : urine, perspiration, tears, etc. 
Salt is one of the best digestives of fatty and al- 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 25 

buminous substances ; it promotes the flow of the 
gastric juice and is of great help in the work of di- 
gestion. Dose of salt 10 to 20 grains. 

It is said that bathing the scalp daily with hot 
salt water will restore the hair to its natural 
color, if it is gray. It encourages the growth of 
hair and preYents baldness. 

Sore eyes. Apply hot salt water of strength to 
suit sensation, morning and eYening. Sopping and 
bathing the eyes therewith and then wiping them 
off dry, has a wonderful curatiYe effect. 

Heart burn, water brash. Common salt, adult, 
one-half teaspoonful in a little cold water, taken as 
occasion may require, giYes instant relief. 

I haYe known cases of dyspepsia to be cured by 
taking one-half a teaspoonful of salt in a glass of 
cold water everv morning before breakfast ; this 
also will restore lost taste. The same being- 
taken twice a day has cured bronchitis. 

Bee sting, spider bite. Apply salt and soda, 
mixed in equal parts ; it affords instant relief. 

Ulcers or suppurating wounds. Bathe in a solu- 
tion of salt in hot water, this will proYe a success. 

Corns. Rub up some fine salt with beef tallow, 
pare away the hard part of the corn, and apply the 
mixture every night ; in a week, no corn. 

Bottles filled with brine make first-class home- 
made fire grenades. Salt is death to bed-bugs ; 
.sprinkle their haunts with salt and that is the end 



26 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

of them. Cod-liver oil may be rendered palatable 
by being salted, etc. 

§v. BREAD. 

Bread is a food prepared with flour and water 
which is made to ferment some by adding yeast. 

Every vegetable substance, containing gluten > 
sugar and fecula, can be used to make bread with ; 
flour of wheat is the best as it contains the most 
gluten, a substance which gives the property to 
raise to the dough ; this fact renders itmore easily 
digestible. Home-made bread is the best to eat > 
or graham bread. 

§VI. RICE, MACARONI, VERMICELLI. 

Rice is a very nourishing food and an emolient 
at the same time; it is easily digested and can be 
taken by any weak stomach. Rice cake is a very 
good way to take it; also in soup. 

Macaroni and vermicelli are more nutritive than 
bread and are easily digested. It is better to boil 
them in water before they are prepared with milk, 
this is because when made in summer they are a 
little acid from fermentation. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 



CHAPTER VII. 

VEGETABLES. 

To give a description of all the vegetables 
known is not to be thought of, only the principal 
ones will be mentioned, such as potatoes, peas, 
carrots, cabbage, beet, Jerusalem artichoke, truffle, 
beans, corn, lentils, etc. 

§1. POTATO. 

Potato is one of the most important of culti- 
vated plants, and is in universal cultivation in the 
temperate parts of the globe. It is undoubtedly 
the most universally used vegetable, rich and poor 
have it on their table ; and if properly cooked the 
tuber is a nice and easily digested substantial food. 
Starch is extracted mostly from potatoes. Mashed 
potatoes are not easily digested. 

The potato is an American indigenous plant, 
and when first taken to Europe, by the Spaniards 
in the beginning of the 16th century, it was culti- 
vated in gardens as a curiosity and not for a gen- 
eral use as an article of food. 

The tuber is the only part used and is composed 
of 21 per cent of starch, 74 per cent of water, and 



28 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

the other five per cent, of salts of potassium and 
sodium, of fats and sweet principles. 

§11. BATATA OR SWEET POTATO. 

The sweet potato is also an indigenous fruit of 
America. It contains a large proportion of sugar 
and water; it nourishes more than the ordinary 
tubercule, and furnishes an excellent and very di- 
gestible food. 

A cake made with the scraped pulp of sweet po- 
tatoes and eggs is far more nourishing and supe- 
rior looking than the ordinary potato and rice 
cake. 

§111. JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE. 

Jerusalem artichoke is a South America tuber- 
cule, not known enough here; it is a delicious 
food, containing sugar, albumen, water, salts, etc., 
and is one of the most nourishing vegetables ; any 
weak and irritable stomach can digest it without 
trouble. 

§IV. CARROTS, CABBAGES, BEETS, TURNIPS, 
ONIONS. 

Carrots are not easy to digest ; the fibfes in 
them are not digested at all so that dyspeptics or 
weak stomachs will let them alone. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 29 

A diet of carrots is said to keep the skin clear, 
and if there are any discolorations they will be re- 
moved. Take them stewed. 

Cabbage. The digestability of cabbage varies 
according to the way in which it is taken, raw or 
boiled ; thus raw cabbage alone is digested in two 
and one-half hours; raw cabbage with vinegar, in 
two hours ; and boiled cabbage takes four and one- 
half hours. It has a great tendency to cause 
either flatulency or acidity in the stomach; cab- 
bage soup is not to be eaten. 

Beet is native of the temperate part of Europe. 
It is moderately digestible and contains quite an 
amount of sugar. The pulp will make fat for 
those whose stomach can digest it. 

Turnip is a native of Europe and the temperate 
parts of Asia. Though somewhat flatulent it will 
be rather easily digested ; one must be careful not 
to eat it too often. 

Onion. India and Egypt have cultivated it from 
the most remote antiquity; the young leaves or 
seedlings are used also, but the bulb is the princi- 
pal part used. It is moderately digestible. A 
sprig of parsley eaten after one has indulged in 
onions will remove all traces of the vegetable. 

§V. PEAS, BEAXS, CORN. 

Peas. Dried peas are a very wholesome food 

3 



30 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

either in soup, or boiled like rice and served with 
a piece of boiled meat. French peas are not so 
nourishing as dry peas, they contain so much wat- 
er; they are flatulent as the skin is not digested, 
their use must be moderate. 

Beans contain only two and one-half per cent 
of undigestible substances, and the other 97 1-2 per 
cent of substances are taken into the human system 
and assimilated. They are very nutritious; Bos- 
ton baked beans are known the world over and are 
really delicious ; they are apt to generate gases in 
the bowels. 

Corn is said to be indigenous of Mexico ; 
though grains of corn have been found in the cel- 
lars of ancient houses in Athens; also in the u Bib- 
liotheque Nationale" (royal library), in Paris, has 
a description of corn been found in an ancient Chi- 
nese book; it is also spoken of in the Scripture, the 
word "corn" being found there; but it seems to 
have been neglected until the discovery of America, 
when its cultivation spread in the old world. 

Corn, or maize, when well ground and given 
to convalescents in the form of corn meal, is one 
of the very best of nutritious foods; it is also 
highly recommended to those troubled with a 
chronic disease of the bowels or stomach. Ground 
coarse and roasted, corn will make a very pleasant 
and wholesome coffee. 




DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 31 

§VI. LENTILS, SQUASH, TOMATOES, OLIVES, CU- 
CUMBERS, CELERY, SALADS. 

Lentils to be good and easily digested must 
be decorticated ; taken in soup they are very nu- 
tritive. When not decorticated they will often 
cause flatulency. 

Sqttash is a very important article of food for 
both man and animal; its pulp is an emolient, it 
is also a very substantial food if properly cooked. 

Tomatoes are indigenous to the tropical part of 
America, it is also called "love apple n . Some 
persons will digest them better picked ripe; they 
are mostly used in making up catsup, preserves, 
pickles, etc. ; they appear with almost every dish 
in Italy. 

Olives furnish an oil much used in medicine, 
and in the preparation of salads. Pickled olives 
are a delicious fruit. 

Cucumbers composed mostly of water are a 
delicacy in cold climates, some stomachs cannot 
digest them. 

Celery contains sugar, mucilage, starch, etc.; 
therefore it is a good vegetable to eat ; the threads 
are not digestible. 

Salads are not easily digested by the stomach ; 
their seasoning will make the work easier for the 
stomach and intestines, but they usually take 
three to five hours to be digested. 



32 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



PASTRY. 



To give a description of all kinds of pastry 
would require two or three volumes as large as 
this one; so that only general rules about pastry 
will be laid down here, and, if followed, will prove 
of great benefit to all. 

The more fat used in a dough, the more indi- 
gestible it is; the same if much butter is used. 

The more the dough raises the lighter and more 
easily digested it is. 

The dough when not thoroughly baked is very 
flatulent and will stay an extremely long time in 
the stomach before the gastric juice can act upon 
it. Children and weak stomachs are better with- 
out pastry ; only these lighter ones are they per- 
mitted to eat, rice-cakes, powdered or ground 
cakes, scraped sweet potato cakes, semolina cakes, 
etc. These are easily digested so are also sweet 
cakes of the " sponge" variety. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 33 



CHAPTER IX. 



FRUITS. 



Pickles* are beneficial to a logy stomach as the 
flow of the gastric juice is favored by their use ; 
but their immoderate use is quite often the cause 
of dyspepsia. 

Melons of the ll cantaloupe n group are not to be 
eaten by weak, nervous, irritable persons, as they 
are rather indigestible. When taken, a glass of 
wine such as Marsala, Oporto, Madeira, Sherry, 
Malaga, etc., ought always go with the melon. 

Water-melons are very refreshing when one is 
thirsty but one must not eat much of them as they 
have a debilitating effect upon the intestinal tract. 

Dates come from Asia and Africa. They are 
healthy, nourishing and emolient. They are very 
soothing for a cold in the chest. 

Figs have the same qualities as dates; a syr- 
up of figs has been made which is a mild laxative. 
They were known by Hercules and Hypocrates 
who recommended them. Plato speaks highly of 
the nourishing properties of figs. Turkey figs are 

*Pickles are not clasified so are included here as fruit. 

Author. 



34 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

the best; they contain about 24 per cent of sugar- 

Dry Raisins and Prunes are very nutritious and 
are easily digested. Stewed prunes, before going 
to bed, are one of the best mea:ns of keeping the 
bowels regular. The author has always prescribed 
them successfully for constipation in women. 

Peaches are native of Persia and of northern In- 
dia. They are refreshing, nutritive and aperient. 
One can eat almost any number of peaches with- 
out feaf. A little Malaga or Sherry wine added 
will make them a very pleasant dessert. 

Apricots are less nourishing than the peaches, 
but are healthy and wholesome. 

Grapes are very healthy; the seeds and skin 
must not be swallowed; hundreds of cases of ap- 
pendicitis have been caused by seed of fruit lodg- 
ing in the appendix (blind bowel) causing inflam- 
mation with death as a result. Never swallow the 
seed of a fruit. The best grapes are the Concord, 
Catawba, Malaga, Delaware, Tokay, etc. 

Apples. Those somewhat acid and juicy are 
the best on account of the phosphorus acid in 
them; they act as a general tonic. Farinaceous 
apples are dry and lay heavy in the stomach; they 
ought to be eaten only when baked. 

Pears have the same properties as apples. 

The less nourishing fruits are : Oranges, Black- 
berries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Plums, Cherries 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 35 

of all kinds, except that called "choke cherries", 
etc.* 

§11. HOXEY. 

Honey was considered by the ancient writers, as 
insuring a long and healthful life if it was used con- 
stantly; and we find Democritus, Hypocrates, Py- 
thagoras, C. Asinius Pollio, Pringle, Cornaro' 1 * and 
others who constantly ate honey lived to be almost 
one hundred years old. Large quantities can be 
eaten even by very weak stomachs, and it will 
increase bodily weight in a very short time. 

^Plums, peaches, lemons and similar small fruits keep 
best in papers. It will repay the housewife to do her perish- 
able fruits up in paper as soon as purchased. 

"Cornaro's constitution, naturally not strong, was greatly 
injured by intemperate eating and drinking, with other ex- 
cesses ; so that, when 40 years of age, he appeared to have lit- 
tle hope of prolonged life. At this time he adopted strict 
rules of temperance, which, co-operating with his general 
care of health, the constant use of honey, served to extend 
his life to nearly 100 years. His old age was remarkably 
cheerful and he ascribed it. also his good health, chiefly to 
honev. 



36 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 



CHAPTER X. 

BEVERAGES. §1. WATER. 

The most natural beverage is good running 
spring water and it is also the most generally 
used. But, according to the products of the cli- 
mate he lives in, man will drink spirituous liquors 
made with any of the plants or fruits containing 
sugar. 

Without w^ater no organism can live ; it has dif- 
ferent effects according to its temperature. — Cold, 
it is an energetic tonic, but in summer it is dan- 
gerous especially when the body is in perspiration. 
— Lnkewarm,\X. is emolient, laxative and will cause 
vomiting. — Warm water is exciting, sodorific and 
activates digestion, especially if it is taken with 
an equal volumn of rum, whiskey, kirsch, etc.; it 
is then called "Punch." Water with a little su- 
gar has great dissolving power on the food in 
the stomach, but it must be drunk very slowly 
and after eating. 

§n. 

I will briefly state the different liquors which 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 37 

each country makes from some plant, seed or fruit 
containing sugar. 

England makes ales, porters, gins, etc. ; Hol- 
land gins are very highly recommended; Spain, 
Italy and especially France furnish us with wines ; 
France has always produced the best wines in the 
world. Persians have cocanar, made with salep, 
— the cachiri of Cayenne is made from powdered 
manioc; — the Indians make with corn a liquor 
called chicona\ — the saki of the Japanese, and the 
arak of the Arabs are made with fermented rice ; 
— the negro of Africa and the natives of Austra- 
lia make a wine with the milk of the cocoanut : — 
Rum is made in the South and in Jamaica, in dis- 
tilling the sugar of sugar cane\ Poles have their 
lipet made with honey, etc. 

§111. WINES. 

The best wines come from France, but Italy, 
Spain, Germany and now the United States fur- 
nish also very good wines. Mr. Nicolas Long- 
worth of Cincinnati was the first American to 
make American champagne, in 1850, after some 
difficulties. From 1850 to 1895, the wine indus- 
try has grown stupendously in New York state, 
along the Hudson, in the valley of the Ohio river, 
in California, etc., until now we can say that the 
United States are making a good part of the wines 
drunk by the Americans. 



38 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

Here are the different kinds of wines which 
great men preferred: — Napoleon Bonaparte was 
particularly fond of the Chambertin (a rich Bur- 
gundy wine) , — Fredrick the Great prized the To- 
kay more than any other, — Richelieu drank but 
the wine of Romance, — Peter the Great only of 
Madeira, — Rubens that of Marsala, — Cromwell 
the Puritan adored Malmsey wine, — Balzac's glass 
was full either of Champagne or of w T ine of Vauv- 
ray, — Goethe took Johannisburg, — Humbolt had 
Sauterne, — Lord Byron was especially fond of 
Port wine, — Francis ist of Sherry w T ine and Henry 
iv of the wine of Suresne, etc. 

First class. The following wines are of great 
value to weak, lazy stomachs to activate digestion of 
food; they act by the alcohol and tannin in them, 
they are: The wines of Bordeaux, of Burgundy, 
of Champagne of Sauterne, etc. These depart- 
ments* give these particular brands (which are the 
best in their class): The Volnay, the Beaune, the 
Nuits, the Poinard, the Chambertin, the Closvou- 
geot, etc. 

Second class. The wines of this class are those 
containing a large proportion of alcohol, 15 to 25 
per cent, and will quickly act upon the head and 
legs of the unsuspicious drinkers. They must be 
taken in small quantity and diluted with water. 

*These are departments or provinces in France. 

The Author. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 39 

The wines of Marsala, of Oporto, of Madeira; the 
strong wines of Languedoc, of Provence, of Rons- 
sillon, and of southern Europe, are the best, and 
ought to be used very moderately. 

Third Class. This class is composed of the 
sweet and generous wines, such as: the Samos, the 
Cyprus and all the Greek wines; the Malvoisie, 
the Lnnel, the Frontignan, etc. These wines are 
drunk at dessert and are sipped. 

Fourth Class. The Champagne, the Grave, the 
Tokay, the Limonx, the Rhine wines, etc., con- 
tain but little alcohol, they are easily digested and 
are exhilarating. 

§iv. 

Here is a table of wines with their per cent of 
alcohol: — 

Lissa, 24.69 

Marsala, 23. S3 

Madeira red, 20.52 

Madeira white, 20.00 

Oporto, (or Port) 20.00 

Constance white, 18.17 

Teneriffe, 20.00 

Lacryma Christi. I9-5Q 

Malaga, 1742 

Bagnols, 17.00 

Ermitage, 17.00 

Roussillon, 16. SS 

Malvoisie, 16.50 

Johanisburg, 15.16 

Malaga ordinary, 15.00 

Sauterne, 15.00 



•iO DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

Cyprus, 15.00 

Burgundy, 14.70 

Rivesaltes, 14.60 

Jurancon red, 13.70 

Lunel, 13.70 

Angers, 12.90 

Champagne, 12.77 

Grave, 12.30 

Rhine wines, 12.50 

Beaune white, 11.80 

Frontignan, 11.80 

Cote-Rotie, 11.30 

Macon white, 11.00 

Volnay, 11.00 

Orleans, 10.66 

Bordeaux red, 10.10 

Saint Kniilion, 10.00 

Vauvray white, 9.66 

Chateau-Latour, 9.33 

Chateau Margau, 8.75 

Chateau Laffite, 8.75 

Chablis white, 8.00 

§V. ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS. 

The name strong or hard liquors is given to 
brandy, fine champagne, gin, rum, whiskey, rye, 
kirsch, arak, etc., because they contain a large per- 
centage of alcohol and are very intoxicating. 
These liquors taken, while eating or after, in small 
quantity, will help digestion especially when taken 
in a little sweetened water (punch) . 

§VI. MALT LIQUORS. 

These liquors are agreeable, healthy and nourish- 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 41 

ing ; they will add greatly to one's adipose tissue ; 
lean persons will be greatly benefitted by a good 
ale or porter, while stout persons ought not to 
touch them. The}' contain but little alcohol, the 
ales or light colored beers contain from 2 to 4 1-2 
per cent ; the porters or high colored beers contain 
from 5 to 8 per cent. One cannot be too careful in 
the choice of malt liquors, as unscrupulous manu- 
facturers will adulterate them by adding bitter ex- 
tracts to give them more zest and taste. 

§vn. cider. 

Cider is made mostly with apples and contains 
from 2 to 4 per cent of alcohol ; fresh cider is good 
but if taken often or immoderately it will cause di- 
arrhoea and even dysentery. Cider has a bad effect 
upon the teeth. Travelers through France, in the 
departments of Picardy and Normandy, are pained 
to see pretty young girls, real pictures of health, 
the smile of which will show a set of decayed teeth 
or no teeth at all. So when one drinks cider the 
teeth must be thoroughly washed immediately after. 

Cider of pears calledfierry is slightly more alco- 
holic than that made with apples, consequently is 
to be taken moderately ; it is a very good beverage. 

§VIII. HYDROMEL. 

This beverage was made by the Romans, the 



42 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

Greeks and even by the Egyptians. Pliny, the 
naturalist, has even transmitted the formula : honey, 
one part, rain water, three parts ; heat gently and 
take the froth away carefully. You will know 
when the hydfoinel is done by dropping a whole 
fresh egg in, if it stays about halfway between the 
surface and the bottom, take the liquid off and let 
cool, then put in a small cask, placing over the 
bung-hole a small board which will let the froth 
made by fermentation escape ; warm water must 
fill the space left by the escape of the froth ; when 
fermentation is over close tightly the bung-hole 
and put the cask or keg in the cellar on the ground. 
After three or four months pass it through a filter- 
ing paper, then put in bottles. 

A little yeast dissolved in water might have been 
added, so that fermentation would not have lasted 
more than three or four weeks. 

§ix. CORDIALS. 

Cordials like Chartreuse, Benedictine, Curocoa, 
Trappistine, etc., are taken at dessert. They are 
highly aromatic and ought to be taken only on 
rare occasions. 

§X. CONSIDERATIONS. 

Alcoholic liquors are very important, even abso- 
lutely necessary in a great many cases of sickness ; 
also when the stomach is weak they will stimulate 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 43 

it. But with some cases of dyspepsia, liquors will 
do great harm. 

Alcohol is for the most part rapidly absorbed in 
an unchanged state, either in the form of liquid or 
vapor ; and this absorption may take place through 
the cellular (or connective) tissue, the serous cavi- 
ties, the lungs or the digestive canal. It is, how- 
ever, only with absorption from the intestinal canal 
that we have to deal, in relation to man. Almost 
the whole of this absorption is affected in the stom- 
ach, and it is only when alcohol is taken to great 
excess or is mixed with a good deal of sugar that 
any absorption beyond the stomach occurs. The 
rapidity of absorption varies according to circum- 
stances. It seems to be proved beyond all doubt 
that " alcohol stays for a time in the blood, that it 
exercises a direct and primary action on the nervous 
centers, whose function it modifies, perverts, or 
abolishes, according to the dose, that neither in the 
blood or in the expired air are any traces to be found 
of its transformation or destruction, that it accu- 
mulates in the nervous centers and in the liver, and 
that it is finally discharged from the system by the 
ordinary chanels of elimination. n The alcohol, 
when it has entered the blood, is diffused over the 
organism, remains during apparently different pe- 
riods in different organs, and almost immediately 
begins to escape. The fact of the retention and ac- 
cumulation in the nervous centers and liver tends 



44 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

to throw much light on the special diseases of drunk- 
ards. The action of every kind of alcoholic drink 
in moderate doses is that of a somewhat rapid stim- 
ulant. The bodily and mental powers are for a 
time excited beyond their ordinary strength, after 
which there is a corresponding depression. Al- 
though the alcohol which is introduced into the sys- 
tem cannot act as a true food, it indirectly takes 
the place of food by diminishing the wear and tear 
of the system and thus rendering less food sufficient ; 
a fact which is proved by chemical experiments 
showing that less carbonic acid and urea are given 
off when alcohol is administered in moderation than 
when it is totally withheld. 

But great care must be taken lest one might fall 
into intemperance as the road is agreeable and gay ; 
it is very easy to become a drunkard, and that is 
the greatest curse a man can bring upon himself, 
family and society. 

The only places where intemperance can success- 
fully be fought are in the schools and in the family. 
Let us teach our children (as the Spartans did 
theirs) to hate intemperance, and show them how 
disgraceful a man is when drunk. Man must be 
taken when a child, when he is in such a state of 
moral receptivity that a lasting impression can be 
made upon his mind ; teach him his future obliga- 
tions to himself, to society, to his family, to his 
country ; fill him with horror for the drunkard and 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 45 

liquor, and gradually that curse called intemper- 
ance will be eradicated from our midst. Such 
teachings will be worth more than all the temper- 
ance lectures in the world, for those attending such 
lectures are u temperance people, " and you will 
not find a toper there to listen to the speeches. 

§xi. vinegar. 

Vinegar is the result of the transformation of 
spiritous liquors by acid fermentation. Vine- 
gar, in small quantity, has the property of pro- 
moting the flow r of the gastric juice, of dissolving 
albuminous substances and of making digestion 
easy. 

Vinegar and all acids have the effect of thinning 
the blood, and diminishing the volume of its 
globules. The continued use of acid foods or 
liquids will ruin the stomach and the strongest con- 
stitution. Young ladies with an undue tendency 
to corpulency sometimes drink vinegar freely, with 
the view of improving the figure, but as vinegar 
only causes thinness by injuring the digestion, it is 
obviously not worth while that they should run the 
risk of exchanging a slight fullness of habit for 
chronic dyspepsia. 

§XII. SUGARS. 

The principal ones are cane, beet, and maple 

4 



46 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

sugars ; we also have fig, date, and milk sugars, 
but they are less important. 

The first three are the most important and the 
most used. Every day they enter the preparation 
of our food. 

They will help to form the adipose tissue of our 
body, and they will also supply the carbon for our 
respiration. Sugars are a great help to the stom- 
ach, as, under their influence, food will be quickly 
digested. Quite a quantity of sugar can be eaten 
without injury, avoiding excess however. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 47 



CHAPTER XII. 

§1. COFFEE. 

Coffee is a native of Abyssinia and Arabia. Leon- 
ard Ranwolf, a German physician, was probably 
the first to make coffee known in Europe, by the 
accounts of his travels printed in 1573. 

The beans should never be darker than a light 
brown color, which is quite sufficient to bring out 
the excellent aroma and other qualities of the coffee ; 
and when the roasting is carried further, more or 
less charring is the result, and a disagreeable burned 
smell is produced, which tends to overcome the 
natural pleasant aroma. 

Coffee is a stimulant and will not injure the stom- 
ach or bowels unless taken immoderately. Its prin- 
cipal action is upon the brain, during that special 
excitation, the ideas are clearer, more concise, more 
gay, the imagination is bright and active, in short 
a well prepared cup of Moka taken before sitting 
down to study or write is a great help to the brain. 

Coffee does not retard the action of the bowels, 
as strong infusions of tea tend to do, partly be- 
cause there is less of the astringent principle, and 



48 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

also owing to the presence of the aromatic oil 
which tends to move the bowels. The important 
offices which coffee fulfils, are: to allay the sensa- 
tion of hunger, to produce an exhilarating and re- 
freshing effect, and most important of all, to di- 
minish the amount of wear and tear, or waste of 
the animal frame, which proceeds more or less at 
every moment. 

Irritable or excitable persons will do well to take 
coffee only at long intervals, as it might make them 
still more nervous and excitable. Voltaire, who 
lived to be eighty-five years old, . took enormous 
quantities of coffee. Fontenelle, who also drank 
coffee all his life, died at 90, so that the best guide 
to see if coffee will injure, is one's physician ; he 
ought to be consulted much oftener than he. is, 
about one's food or beverage. 

Coffee, to be good, must be made in. a coffee-pot 
which will give boiling water time only to dissolve 
the fatty and azotous principles, the soluble salts 
and aromatic essence; the cellulose, the tannin and 
the lime salts ought to be left in the grounds. 
Here is a simple wgy to make a cup of good coffee. - 
Take one teaspoonful of ground coffee for each cup 
to be made, put it into a strainer, then pour boiling 
water over it ; the water is to be boiled and poured 
over three times in all ; this will give a very nicely 
flavored cup of coffee ; not more than two cups are 
to be prepared in this way at one time. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 49 

The best coffees are the Java and the Mocha, 
the Sumatra, Brazil, etc. Mexican coffee is said 
to be very good. 

§11. TEA. 

Tea is said to have been introduced into China 
itself from Corea about the fourth century of the 
Christian era, and to have extended to Japan about 
the ninth century. There are two kinds of tea, 
the Qreen and the black teas ; they come from the 
same tree, but the leaves have been harvested at 
different degrees of maturity, and also have been 
roasted differently. The green contains more es- 
sence than the black tea, and is consequently more 
stimulating and exciting. The real gunpowder tea 
is never exported from China, the imperial family 
has the crop and death would be the penalty to 
those who would sell this tea to any one. The 
gunpowder tea we have is an imitation of the im- 
perial tea (Chou-Cha). 

While some physicians have over-praised its 
value, others have regarded it as a source of nu- 
merous diseases, especially of the nervous system. 
Old and infirm persons usually derive more benefit 
and personal comfort from tea than from any other 
corresponding beverage. Tea, in the form of a 
cold, weak infusion, is often of great service in fe- 
vers. For persons of a gouty and rheumatic tenden- 
cy, and especially for such as are of the Lithic Acid 



50 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

Diathesis, week tea, taken without 'sugar, and with 
very little or no milk, is the best form of ordinary 
drink. In some forms of diseased heart, tea proves 
a useful sedative, while in other cases it is positively 
injurious ; a cup of strong green tea, especially if 
taken without sugar or milk, will often remove a 
severe nervous headache. Tea will cause sleepless- 
ness and it therefore is not to be taken at night. 

§111. COCOA. 

Cocoa is a native of the tropical parts of America. 
Cocoa is very nutritous. The principal constitu- 
ent of cocoa beans is the soft, solid oil called cocoa 
butter, which forms more than 50 per cent, of the 
whole shell bean, about 22 per cent being starch, 
gum, mucilage, etc., and 17 per cent being gluten 
and albumen. The seeds are the only part used. 
For dietic use, cocoa is prepared in several ways. 
It is made into chocolate, and it is in that form 
that it is mostly taken. 

Chocolate is made from the seed of cocoa, reduced 
to a fine paste, and mixed with powdered sugar and 
spices. The paste is then poured into moulds, in 
which it is allowed to cool and harden. Chocolate 
is used as a beverage, and for this purpose is dis- 
solved in hot water or milk. The merest dash of 
cinnamon in a cup of chocolate after it is poured 
adds a piquant and indistinguishable flavor. It is 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 51 

especially adapted to delicate constitutions, to con- 
valescents, to children, to old persons, to nervous, 
irritable, weak stomachs, and to all persons not 
able to digest abundant food. It is wholly digested 
as no traces of it can be found in the faeces. 



52 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 



CHAPTER XII. 

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT FOOD AND 
TEMPERAMENTS . 

§1. SANGUINE TEMPERAMENT. 

What constitutes the sanguine temperament is 
the predominance of the circulatory and respiratory 
systems over the others of our body. 

The best food for such a temperament is the diff- 
erent roast meats, vegetables, white flesh fishes, 
chicken, etc. ; pure water is the best drink, as any 
alcoholic liquor or beer will excite the system too 
much. Abstention of sugars, fats, farinaceous veg- 
etables as much as possible, as these substances will 
cause one to grow stout very quickly, and will pre- 
dispose those of a sanguine temperament to apo- 
plexy. 

§11. BILIOUS TEMPERAMENT. 

In this instance the stomach and liver are the 
predominant organs of the body. 

Fruits and drinks somewhat acid are very good 
for this temperament ; the regime must be com- 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 53 

• 

posed of white meats, fresh fish, aqueous vegetables, 
etc. ; no alcoholic drinks, nor too much spiced or 
irritant food if the bilious man values his health. 
He always ought to get up from the table feeling a 
little hungry, rather than to eat as long as his ap- 
petite will last. 

Those with bilious temperament are especially 
liable to have ^ Flatulent Dyspepsia." 

§111. NERVOUS TEMPERAMENT. 

This temperament, as is well known, is due to 
a greater activity of the nervous system than of the 
other systems. 

In this temperament the regime must be calma- 
tive and restoring ; white meats roasted or broiled, 
white flesh fishes, fresh eggs raw or very slightly 
cooked ; vegetables, vermicelli, rice, macaroni, 
fruits, etc. In short nourishing and laxative food. 
Xo fats, pork, goose or any other exciting meats or 
food. 

The stomach, with those of a nervous tempera- 
ment, is almost a tyrant, requiring constant care 
and attention, for the least error in the regime will 
be resented by the oversensitive stomach, and days, 
nay, years of suffering are the penalty. There are 
pains in the head and back, weariness in the limbs, 
etc. ; some persons are gloomy and pessimistic, 
worry unnecessarily, others complain of weakmem- 
orv, and inabilitv to concentrate their thoughts ; 



54 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

• 
others will suffer from vertigo ; there may be pal- 
pation of the heart, sometimes very severe, etc. 
All these symptoms will be brought on by errors 
of regime or by excesses. ■ What is said here is a 
deplorable truth. Question those who have nerv- 
ous dyspepsia, and you will find their answer tallies 
with the above. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 55 



CHAPTER XIII. 



OBESITY. 



Obesity is too well known to need description ; 
the treatment of this infirmity is the only part to 
interest us. 

In ancient Greece, and especially with the Spar- 
tans, obesity was a dishonor, they said that a man 
could not be a warrior ; and a woman could not 
take care of her children. 

It is remembered that in the classification, fat, 
gelatinous, feculent, farinaceous foods, beverages 
such as beer, cider, sweet wines, make a chyle that 
will in toto be transformed into adipose tissue, 
therefore it is evident the corpulent person ought 
not to eat this class of food. 

The regime to follow will be composed exclusive- 
ly of dry stimulants, high seasoned foods: meats 
composed of much carbone and azote as beef, mut- 
ton, hare, venison, the fat of which having been 
thoroughly taken off ; partridge, thrush, pheasant, 
pigeon, etc. ; french peas and beans, spinach, en- 
dive with sugar, never with fats ; all kinds of salads 
highly seasoned with vinegar, acid fruits, etc. 



56 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

The beverages to drink are white wines well di- 
luted in hot water, lemonades, seltzer water, black 
coffee, etc. Occasionally also ought to be taken 
sudorific and diuretic draughts, mild purgatives, to 
promote loss by the perspiration, by the urine and 
through the bowels ; but great care must be taken 
lest the intestinal tract might get out of order. A 

STOUT PERSON OUGHT TO DRINK AS LITTLE AS 
POSSIBLE, AND MOST ALWAYS WARM DRINKS. 

The energy of this regime is increased by salt 
water ablutions all over the body ; and by frictions 
with hydriodate of potassium dissolved in alcohol, 
made once or twice a day over the parts where the 
most adipose tissue is, as over the chest and ab- 
domen. 

Hydriodate of Pot., 5 ounces. 
Alcohol, 2 lbs. 

Wash with half a tumbler each time ; the fric- 
tions to last from a quarter to half of an hour. 

Hunter says that a mild compression over the 
parts to be reduced is an excellent way of increas- 
ing the activity of the vessels absorbing the fat ; 
the abdominal belt has no other power to diminish 
the fat than through its mild compression. 

But, to exercise enough to cause perspiration and 
fatigue ; to rise early ; to go to bed late and to give 
little time to sleep, five or six hours for instance, 
must of necessity, with the other means, cause a 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 57 

loss of adipose tissue and bring back the body and 
muscles to their normal state. 

One other treatment that is exceedingly benefi- 
cial to those troubled with obesity is the electric 
spark. It is a "dissolvent of fat." It acts by in- 
creasing the activity of circulation, causing a rapid 
absorption of the globules of fat. Many ladies, 
without being really corpulent, are rather fleshy 
and puff vigorously when they walk. The electric 
spark will cure this if properly applied. This 
treatment is to be taken only under a physician 
who understands electricity thoroughly, given out 
of place it will injure the person treated. 

The following case is very interesting : 

A lady, Mrs. G , about 35 years old, was cor- 
pulent, weighing some 180 pounds, and could not 
walk without being "all tired out" and "puffing 
vigorously"; she could not walk easily, her ankles 
were weak and the feet were tender, they would 
become verv sore. After having tried a regime tin- 
der different physicians, and after taking much 
medicine which upset her stomach, she came to me. 

I first gave her a list of food and drinks to be 
taken the first week, then would change it at the 
end of every week for ten weeks. In the meantime 
I gave her two or three electric treatments every 
week. After two and one-half months she started 
for the "World's Fair" in Chicago, and was gone 
four weeks. This is what Mrs. G told me af- 
ter her return : 



58 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

U I walked from morning till night for four solid 
weeks, and I never felt so well, every morning I 
started as fresh as ever, wonld walk all day and get 
back to onr hotel only at night. I never walked 
so much and with so little fatigue in all my life." 

Many other treatments, more or less absurd, have 
been devised either violent or not ; such as the ab- 
lation of the fat by operation, the use of violent, 
drastics, the absolute diet, etc.* They are not to 
be thought of ; other treatments, as drinking vin- 
egar, are injurious. There is one thing about the 
treatment of obesity, as well as of any other ail- 
ment thaj: is always to be kept in mind, t. e. : the 
danger of, and the impossibility of treating every 
person alike, each temperament, each constitution, 
each person even of the same temperament, will re- 
quire a different treatment, so that no absolute rule 
can be laid down. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 59 



CHAPTER XIV. 



LEANNESS. 



I do not mean to say anything about "the 
growing lean" caused by sickness, such as typhoid 
fever, tuberculosis, cancer, etc., I mean to speak 
of that leanness compatible with health but not 
with good looks. 

This infirmity may be caused by excessive irri- 
tability of temperament, or be due to the moral 
or physical state of the individual. Thus the nerv- 
ous and melancholy temperament, the mournful 
passions, protracted work, excessive heat in sum- 
mer, fasting, insufficiency of food, its bad quality 
or imperfect preparation, the abuse of liquors, of 
tobacco, etc. , are causes of leanness. If it is caused 
by any sickness, this must first be cured. When 
the cause has been removed, you can then by the 
following regime build one's system up and in- 
crease the adipose tissue. 

When leanness is not caused by an organic 
lesion, the first step is to stop whatever cause en- 
tertaining it, and to have the person follow a regime 
which will invigorate and lessen the wear and tear 
losses of the system, caused by the natural exchang- 
es going on in our body. 



60 DYSPEPSIA' -AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

For example , let a person eating highly seasoned 
food, drinking exciting beverages, dry wines, tea, 
coffee, etc., who spends a great deal in intellectual 
and physical activity ; let such a person change 
her mode of living, and make choice of fatty, gela- 
tinous \ feculent substances ; drink sweet wines, beer, 
porter, cider ; let her give little time to work and 
a good deal to, sleep, in shorty let her give much to 
animal life and very little to intellectual life. A 
few weeks. of this regime must of necessity make 
one stout. 

The food to take is : All kinds of fecula, of 
mealy foods, prepared with fats, fats and fat 
meats, milk, Jellies, consommes, o.ils> butter, fresh 
cheese, rice, salep, sago, chocolate, honey, dates, 
olives, cocoanut, vegetables prepared with much 
butter or fat, figs, grapes and sweet fruits. For 
beverage : Cider, beer, porter, sweet wines, Ma- 
deria wine, two glasses a day, hydromel, weak 
alcoholic liquors. 

It is better to eat different kinds of food even at 
the same meal, as the stomach, if given the same 
food too often, will grow logy* The regime also 
requires luke warm baths ; friction all over the body 
with a flannel either dry or wet with aromatic wine, 
two or three times a week ; a light laxative every 
week to clean the digestive canal of all saburra that 
may have formed. 

*Sluggish, inactive, lazy stomach. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 61 



CHAPTER XV. 



"THE SKIN. 



It is not possible to deny that food has some 
action upon the skin ; all physicians and specialists 
are in perfect accord on that point. Food forms 
the blood and the blood all goes to the capillary of 
the skin, the impurities in the blood are deposited 
there, the consequence of which is bad complexion. 
A pretty complexion is a boon to everybody who is 
so fortunate as to have it, for it not only adds to 
the beauty, but it testifies to the good health of its 
possessor. 

§i. 

Food will have immediate or slow action upon 
skin. 

First. Immediate action. When food reacts 
upon the skin a few hours after taking it, it is 
either after its passage into the circulation acting 
as medicine would, pathogenic action, or by creating 
trouble in the stomach and intestines, which trouble 

*Pidoux, Rapport de l'lierpetisme et des dyspepsies, Paris. 
Brocq. Traitement des maladies de la pean. Paris. 



62 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

reacts over the whole system. In this last instance 
the way the food has been prepared, cooked and 
eaten is also an important factor. 

The skin will, sometimes after a meal, be cov- 
ered with nettle-rash or erythema, these eruptions 
cease as soon as the cause is removed. 

Foods that may cause immediate eruptions on the 
skin are : — Sardines, salmon, mackerel, herring, 
gold fish, salt water fishes, oysters, mussles, lob- 
sters, shrimps, crabs, cress, salt and smoked meats ; 
strong tea or coffee will sometimes make an itching- 
much worse, if it does not exist it will often be 
brought on, alcoholic liquors, certain acid fruits, as 
oranges, lemons, etc. 

But there is no invariable rule, as some persons 
will eat any of the above substances with no after 
effect on the skin ; while they will be unable to eat 
turkey or some other food without becoming cov- 
ered with nettle-rash. 

Illustrating this impossibility of any fixed rule is 
this one case. A child of about 12 has been un- 
able to eat anything in which the yelk of egg is 
used, her mother discovered the fact by accident 
some years ago ; and without failure every time the 
child takes food with yelk of egg in, she is cov- 
ered with nettle-rash the next day. 

Some persons cannot eat fat or butter, others oils 
or highly seasoned food, etc. 

Second. Slow action. (This food should not 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 63 

be taken by gouty persons.) This class of food of 
slow action contains the following : — Coffee, alco- 
holic liquors, tomatoes, wines, dark or red colored 
meats, etc. (What should be given to gouty per- 
sons is : Milk, white flesh meats, cooked green 
vegetables, sherry wine, etc.) There is also salted 
cheese, canned meats, candies, bon-bons, pastries, 
bran, buckwheat, gruel, oat meal, etc., that are not 
to be eaten too often. 

Of course these different kinds of food are not to 
be proscribed, but ""If one has a skin trouble it 
would he well to see if there is not one or two kinds 
of food that are somewhat often on the dinner table/ ■ 

§11. HYGIENE OF THE SKIN. 

This will be a very brief resume of the hygiene 
of the skin. 

The skin is, as is well known, an organ of se- 
cretion, of excretion, and to a certain degree, of 
absorption. 

Its perfect working is necessary to health and to 
life, as many celebrated examples have proved. 
Therefore every effort ought to be made to insure 
this perfect working of our cutaneous tissue. Per- 
fect health is impossible without free perspiration. 
This is one of the methods adopted by nature to 
free the system of waste material, and one can see 
how necessary frequent bathing is to remove the 
impurities forced through to the pores of the skin. 



64 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

The best way to obtain it is to always keep scru- 
pulously clean, washing the whole body (twice a 
week or oftener in winter, every day in summer), 
rubbing well with a dry flannel after the bath. The 
water ought to be cool. Never take a hot bath (ex- 
cept under the advice of your physician) , as it weak- 
ens the nervous system very much ; a cold bath is 
far better for it has a tonic effect upon the skin and 
nerves. At first one must take hike- warm baths, 
then gradually each bath is taken with the water 
a little colder until it can be taken with the water 
real cold. The shock of a cold bath will naturally 
be followed in a few seconds by a strong reaction. 

Soft and flabby skin will gain freshness of text- 
ure by the use of cold water to which has been 
added a little common salt. For an irritable skin 
add about one-half to two pounds of gelatine, of 
starch or of bran to the water. For a rough dry 
skin add about eight ounces to one pound of glyc- 
erine to the water. 

Chapped hands are always the result of the ex- 
tremes of hot and cold to which the tender skin at 
the back of the hands is subjected. In even tem- 
perature this cuticle, as sensitive almost as the eye- 
lid, will not roughen and peel in an attempt to 
form a defence against the cold, and unless the 
proper applications are used one must be careful to 
protect these extremeties from sudden chill and 
heat. In winter two baths a day in tepid water 



DYSPEPSIA AXD HOW TO CURE IT. 65 

with castile soap should be sufficient to keep them 
clean; and, when walking, the heaviest dog-skin 
gloves, cotton lined, afford the only proper protec- 
tion. Muffs are a snare and delusion, unless the 
hands are held in the fur protector continuously, 
and when all precautions have failed here is an ex- 
cellent remedy for restoring and softening the skin. 
It is a home made cold cream, as efficacious for lips 
as hands, and easily made by any one. One cake 
of white wax, a parafine candle, and a bottle of 
sweet oil. Prepare by cutting the candle away 
from its string and breaking into small pieces, and 
shaving the wax like soap, mix this with the sweet 
oil and let it melt and combine in an earthenware 
bowl set in a saucepan of hot water. When this 
grows boiling hot pour into it two tablespoonfuls of 
rice water, a teaspoonful of violet perfume or ex- 
tract, and the same amount of extract of white rose. 
Now remove the saucepan from the stove, stir the 
compound rapidly until it begins to grow cold. 
This last must be a gradual process, for if the 
im is subjected to a sudden chill it is apt to grow 
too hard and verv lumpy. Hot vinegar also keeps 
the hands from chapping. 

Carbonate of ammonia is to be used if the feet 
and arm pits are odorous and smell none too sweet ; 
about two ounces to a pail of water ; permanganate 
of potassium, 20 grains to a pail of water, is also 
used to advantage. 



66 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

Those whose skin is oily will do well to put about 
three ounces of powdered borax in the water ; or 
two to six ounces of carbonate of sodium. 

When the secretions of the skin are odorous, use 
either tincture of benzoin, tincture of lavender, 
cologne or other aromatics in the water. 

Sulphurous, vapor, etc. baths all have their use- 
fulness, but ought not to be taken except under the 
advice of a physician. 

Some women have preserved the freshness of the 
skin and firmness of their breast by bathing every 
morning their arms, shoulders and the breast with 
cold boiled water. 

If the skin is too dry and scaly it ought to be 
rubbed now and then with fresh cold cream, or with 
glycerated starch ; if it is oily, (besides the use of 
carbonate of sodium, or borax), once or twice a 
week, a good washing with tar soap or borated 
soap will keep it smooth and sweet ; a few drops of 
cologne or of tincture of benzoin, or of lavender, 
are to be added to the water used. 

The skin may be, when not as good as it should 
be, improved by care of the diet, by the proper use 
of the bath, and by avoiding whatever makes one 
ill or even dull and apathetic. 

One of the most vexing of the enemies to a good 
complexion are black-heads or flesh- worms, which 
are very 1 liable to degenerate into ugl) looking white 
pimples, by no means endowed with a life of their 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. C7 

own, although this is the general belief concerning 
them. They are often the result of uncleanliness, 
for the oily matter exuded by the pores form these 
black specks, which dishonor the prettiest face and 
are in reality nothing but accumulated dirt. When 
black-heads have once been permitted to form, it is 
quite a difficult matter to get rid of them. Many 
applications are recommended for the purpose ; for 
instance, bicarbonate of soda dissolved in hot water, 
borax water, white of egg applied to the skin on 
retiring to bed, pure alcohol, etc. ; one good way 
of getting permanently rid of black-heads is to thor- 
oughly wash, night aud morning, with w r ater as 
warm as it can be borne, and then bathe the face 
for ten minutes at least in tepid milk by the aid of 
a soft and very fine sponge. Continue this for a 
month, and you will find that your skin has be- 
come pure and sweet as a baby's. 

A diet of carrots is said to keep the skin clear, 
and if there are discolorations they will be re- 
moved. Take them stewed. 



68 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 



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PART II. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



DYSPEPSIA. 



Dyspepsia is far from being a new disease, it was 
known to the very earliest writers, to Galens, 
Hypocrates, and others. Up to to-day many au- 
thors have written about dyspepsia as a disease in 
itself, but ^Dyspepsia is only the symptom of a 
troubled action of the stomach" nothing more. 
When one says "I have dyspepsia, he has a diges- 
tive disturbance that may be caused by cancer of 
the stomach, locomotor ataxia, tuberculosis of the 
stomach, catarrh of the stomach, atony of the stom- 
ach, dilatation of the stomach, etc. ; all of which 
are either anatomical changes in the structure or 
form of the stomach ; or, as in locomotor ataxia, 
it may be a symptom of the disease of some distant 
organ ; so that, when we use the word dyspepsia, 
we use that term as it is generally understood, 



72 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

meaning that food is not properly acted ttpon by the 
stomach. 

§1. PERSONS AFFECTED. 

Dyspepsia is a disease mostly met with in the 
easier conditions of life, such as with business men, 
editors, writers, journalists, artists, reporters, pro- 
fessional men, society people, and others, but any- 
body can be affected from a King (L,ouis XIV) to 
the humblest and poorest man ; working men and 
laborers are more free from it than others. It will 
not come suddenly except in cases of poisoning, 
either by strong acids or other poison. The stom- 
ach will at first discreetly notify you by its uneasi- 
ness that it is tired, that it needs more care or better 
food ; if you answer to its call and are careful, the 
stomach will take up its work and digest very well 
until you abuse it again, then it will not tolerate 
much, and will drift into a dyspeptic state which 
will cause you to lead, for years, perhaps, a miser- 
able life. 

§11. NERVOUS DYSPEPSIA. 

There are as many kinds of dyspepsia as there 
are causes of this trouble, but there is one kind that 
is too often overlooked, and that is "Nervous Dys- 
pepsia/' Some writers say the only cause of dys- 
pepsia is lack of nervous strength ; others say the 
nervous system has nothing to do with dyspepsia. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 73 

I think both are wrong. Certainly I do not pre- 
tend to say that every case of dyspepsia has origi- 
nally its cause in the nervous system, but l 'even- 
case of dyspepsia has more or less nervous weakness 
attending it, and that has been too long overlooked ; 
tone the nervous system, put it in a state where it 
can better resist disease, and nervous dyspepsia or 
any other kind of dyspepsia will disappear, or im- 
prove/ ■ Ewald says in his book on diseases of the 
stomach : u Of course there are exceptions to the 
well known rule that people attacked with the gas- 
tric neuroses are usually those who live in large 
cities, and especially those better situated, whose 
struggle for existence demands an especial expen- 
diture of labor and mental excitement to keep up 
with the demands of an advanced culture. I have 
seen quite severe cases of "nervous dyspepsia" also 
in farmers, working people, factory girls, and 
finally where one would least expect it in sailors." 

We have seen in Part I, Chap. I, Sec. in, that 
the terminal branches of the right and left pneu- 
mogastrics, and the sympathetic all go directly 
from the brain to the stomach. 

We can therefore well understand why the least 
trouble in the stomach will be telegraphed to the 
brain which will be affected (nervous headache) . 
Also if the brain is too active and calls forth for 
its own use too much nervous force, we know that 
the first organ to be weakened and troubled is the 
stomach . 



74 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

Nervous dyspepsia does not announce itself in a 
brutal or loud way ; it is almost fully established 
before one is aware of its presence, and that is what 
makes nervous dyspepsia so dangerous, for it is 
noticed only after a considerable drainage upon the 
nervous system has been made, weakening thereby 
in a serious way the whole individual before he is 
conscious of it. 

It is easily conceived that if the brain, central 
nervous organ, works more than it ought to nor- 
mally, it must drain other organs of their nervous 
force to provide for its own needs, thereby monop- 
olizing a great part of what these organs require 
for their own functions. The stomach communi- 
cates directly with the brain, through the nerves, 
and the consequence of a long continued effort of 
the brain is a correspondent debilitation of its nerv- 
ous action upon the stomach, so that digestion is 
less thorough, takes a longer time — and the way is 
clear for all kinds of dyspeptic troubles. 

Dieulafoy says : u When we think that the two 
agents of digestion, (movements and secretions), 
cannot be produced without the co-operation of 
muscles, of glands, of blood vessels, of nerves of 
motion and of sensation ; and that it is sufficient 
that only one of these composing parts should be 
impaired in its functions, for the whole digestive 
action of the stomach to bear its effects, it is easy 
to see the numerous causes by which dyspepsia can 
be brought about. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 75 

But it is well to remember that the muscles, 
glands, blood vessels, etc., are all undo the power 
of the nerves^ and then one will realize how impor- 
tant the action of the nervous system is over di- 
gestion. 

Hartshorne in his ^Essentials of the Principles 
and Practice of Medicine/' at the chapter on Dys- 
pepsia, says : ^Insufficient or perverted innerva- 
tion may originate or intensify any or all of the 
morbid states or actions of the stomach. Some- 
times this is so obviously primary and predominant 
as to justify the term of Nervous Dyspepsia/' 

§111. CAUSES OF DVSPEPSIA. 

As I have said before, there are many causes of 
dyspepsia, but you will notice that in most of the 
cases there is a thread connecting the nervous sys- 
tem with dyspepsia. 

Any long continued brain work which requires 
a decided concentration of the intellect is a source 
of general weakening, and the stomach, which is 
constantly working to feed the other organs, will 
grow weak quicker than the others. In every 
instance of general debility, caused by disease 
or by anything else, the stomach must be carefully 
looked after. The mental strain which business 
men undergo is no uncommon cause of dyspepsia ; 
stage people are very apt to become dyspeptics ; 
men of letters, editors, painters, writers, professors 



76 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

of music, professors of languages, lawyers, etc. ; 
in short, all those whose profession keeps them in- 
doors are candidates to this disease. 

Imperfect mastication caused by a bad set of 
teeth, or also when a few teeth have been extracted 
and not replaced by artificial ones, is no uncom- 
mon cause of dyspepsia. 

We know that if a grindstone is not in perfect 
order, the flour will be coarse, the same with our 
food, if it is improperly ground by our grindstones 
(teeth) , the stomach will have to work much hard- 
er and finally will refuse to digest such imperfectly 
masticated food. Sleeplessness will bring on dys- 
peptic spells, great surprises, good or bad, finan- 
cial losses, the loss of beloved ones, etc. are, of- 
ten unthought of causes of dyspepsia. 

Too little or too much exercise, too much fa- 
tigue, excessive study or mental excitement, in- 
ordinate use of ardent spirits, opium, tobacco, 
coffee, etc., are as many causes of dyspepsia. 
There is also a special kind of dyspeptic trouble 
with hysterical persons. In such cases antispas- 
modics will be of great service besides the ordinary 
dyspeptic treatment. 

Very often dyspepsia is a nervous manifestation 
of "overwork" with society people. The strain on 
their nerves is very great ; they receive, make visits, 
go shopping ; in the evening they eat after return- 
ing from the theatre ; when "en soiree" they take 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 77 

ice creams, frozen puddings, u des glaces, n etc. 
In short, the high pressure conditions of life are so 
exacting that dyspepsia is sure, soon or late, to 
befall those whose brain is over-stimulated, whose 
stomach is abused, and nervous forces are over- 
strained, so that exhaustion and decadance are in- 
evitable. 

Dyspepsia is often a reflex symptom of the un- 
healthy state of another organ, such as the brain, 
spinal cord, but more often of the liver, kidneys, 
ovaries, tubes, womb, etc. 

Chronic disorders of the female as well as of the 
male sexual organs may be followed by chronic 
dyspeptic conditions. I would here say, that the 
normal process of menstruation causes relaxation 
of gastric digestion, or even complete absence of 
free hydrochloric acid in the stomach contents, as 
was first demonstrated by Kretschy, and later con- 
firmed by Fleischer, Boas and Ewald. How much 
greater reflexes will be referred to the stomach and 
intestines by amenorrhoea and dysmenorrhea, the 
climateric period and chronic disorders of the uterus 
which are associated with an irritability, or even 
with a direct excitation of its nerves ! Hence, we 
can understand why H. Kirsch found " dyspepsia 
uterina" most frequently in retroflexion of the en- 
larged uterus than in malposition, in general my- 
omata, pelvic exudations, with traction on the uter- 
us and its adnexa, ulcers of the cervix, and ovarian 



78 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

tumors ; such dyspeptic conditions which may have 
persisted for years have been cured in a surprising- 
ly short time by appropriate local treatment. 

Very often a liver trouble is marked by no other 
sympton than a digestive disturbances, this is es- 
pecially true with bilious persons. 

Lastly, medicine, out of place, has many times 
been the unthought of cause of dyspepsia. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 79 



CHAPTER XVII. 

DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS. 
§1. 

Diagnosis. — The diagnosis of dyspepsia can be 
made by any one, but what must of all necessity be 
found in the cause of it, so that once removed, dys- 
pepsia will disappear ; whether it is caused by a 
cancer in the stomach or an ulceration either tu- 
berculous (scrofulous) or simple, by a disease of 
the spinal cord as locomotor ataxia, by heart dis- 
ease, by gout, by Bright 's disease, by tubercolosis 
(consumption) , or whether dyspepsia has a nervous 
weakness for origin, as in eight out of every ten 
cases, and lastly whether caused by improper nu- 
trition, etc., dyspepsia is very easily distinguished 
from other diseases, but it belongs to a specialist 
to discover the cause and to cure that disease so 
exasperating known as dyspepsia. 

§n. 

Prognosis. — Dyspepsia is essentially a chronic 
disease (acute dyspepsia is called indigestion and 



80 DYSPBPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

lasts but a few days) ; the longer one has had it, 
the farther away is recovery. Recovery will be 
gradual with many rechutes before a cure can be ob- 
tained, and even then the dyspeptic must take great 
care what to eat and how the food is cooked ; he 
must eat very slowly letting the teeth do their func- 
tion, i. e: make a paste of whatever food is put 
into the mouth, so that the stomach will not have 
to do the work of the teeth. 

To masticate thoroughly is an absolute rule for 
all dyspeptics. 

The work of reconstruction must begin prudent- 
ly and slowly, the greater the weakness of the 
nervous system, the more closely must the gradual 
treatment be followed, as the weakness is a conse- 
quence or a causef of the decadent state of the whole 
individual. 

Persons affected with a heart disease must always 
be very cautious, for it is not uncommon that such 
persons will die after a hearty meal. 

With a severe regime, dyspeptics will outlive 
stronger persons than they, and will die only after 
involuntary imprudence. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 81 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



SYMPTOMS. 



Many times two or more of the following symp- 
toms are present in the same case of dyspepsia — 
seldom will there be only one symptom. Each in- 
dividual will suffer in his own way as he is unlike 
his neighbor and does not interpret the symptoms 
in the same way, some are more sensitive than oth- 
ers, and will consequently suffer more with rela- 
tively less dyspepsia. 

The first symptoms usually pass unnoticed until 
the attention is drawn to them ; the patient does 
not sleep well, and dreams often ; he is more nerv- 
ous than usual, more irritable, will cry at the slight- 
est cause, and is restless. He will have attacks of 
dizziness, and he feels his stomach. 

When food arrives into the stomach, there is a 
heavy feeling in the pit of the stomach ; during 
digestion, which takes a longer time than usual, 
the mouth is clammy and has a queer, sour taste ; 
there is a general uneasiness, the head feels heavy, 
the eye balls are sore and sometimes there is an al- 
most invincible tendency to yawn or to sleep. The 



82 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

face sometimes is flushed up, or sudden flushes of 
heat will be felt ; there are pandiculations ; the 
thirst is generally increased, and we find that the 
appetite is always modified, either increased, di- 
minished or perverted. 

Many will* feel a general sensation of lassitude, 
others will be troubled with severe dyspnoea, which 
sometimes will go so far as creating a sensation of 
suffocation ; other times very severe cases of neural- 
gia will, after all kinds of treatment, disappear 
when the dyspeptic trouble has been attended to. 

A pain or an ache, more or less sharp, in the pit 
of the stomach, is most always felt after eating ; 
some feel bloated and will belch up gas. The gas 
is either odorless or has an offensive, sour smell, 
with a disagreeably rancid taste ; the amount of gas 
belched up is sometimes fabulous. Others will vom- 
it when the food isnot properly digested ; this last 
symptom is especially frequent in children or in- 
fants, the milk is vomited all curdled and gradu- 
ally green diarrhoea will set in ; finally the poor 
little ones will be but the living pictures of a skele- 
ton. 

When mesycism* is present it is due either to a 
neurosis or to a malformation of the stomach. 



^Disease or affection in which food after a stay more or less 
prolonged in the stomach is brought back up into the mouth 
to undergo another new elaboration and once more to be swal- 
lowed after the way of the ruminants. Author. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 83 

Observation IX. About two and a half years 

ago, I was called to see a Mrs. M -who was said 

to be dying of heart disease ; numerous physicians 
had told her that such was her trouble ; after a very 
careful examination and listening to the history of 
the case I pronounced it "Nervous Dyspepsia" to 
the surprise of the patient and of a whole family. 
They were all a little incredulous, the patient how- 
ever (liking my diagnosis the *best she had heard 
of heretofore ) was willing to try my treatment . For 
sixteen weeks she followed a regime, also took two 
treatments a week of static electric sparks, and has 
been well ever since all dyspepsia and pain disap- 
pearep. 

Another symptom of dyspepsia is pain in the 
heart, this however occurs infrequently. I will 
here give the relation of a clinical lecture about a 
case of digestive reflex neurosis of the heart by G. 
A. Fackler, of Cincinnati, clinical lecturer on dis- 
eases of the chest, at the Cincinnati College of Med- 
icine and Surgery. 

u The case which I am about to present to you is 
one of the class of cardiac affections, which, be- 
cause of the fact that the manifestation of symp- 
toms is transitory and especially apt to occur in in- 
dividuals in robust health, is regarded by the ma- 
jority of general practitioners as of purely functional 
character. He is justified in this assumption be- 
cause of the negative results of a physical exami- 



84 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

nation. He, as a rule, is in a position to assure 
the patient that he can discover no valvular lesion 
or abnormality in the size of the heart, and is in- 
clined to regard the applicant as a hypochondriac. 

The patient is a man, 30 years of age, with an 
exceptionally good family history. His occupation 
as an accountant necessarily places him among those 
who are compelled to lead a sedentary life. The 
first, most prominent and recurrent symptom ob- 
served by the patient was apparently connected with 
the respiratory or circulatory organs. Six months 
ago, without any premonitory signs, he experi- 
enced a sensation of oppression, accompanied by 
fear. Especially noticeable was the severe, inex- 
plicable dyspnoea, which was accompanied by car- 
diac palpitation. These attacks have been of fre- 
quent recurrence, and gradually, in the history of 
the case, the cardiac symptom assumed prominence 
and controlled the general picture. We are unable 
to secure any evidence leading us to suspect gastric 
disease. With the exception of slight distention 
and sensitiveness in the epigastric region, there are 
no suSective or objective signs of abnormal gastric 
digestion. 

In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, let us 
consider the class of cases of which this is a strik- 
ing example, and to which the term digestive 're- 
flex neurosis of the heart' has been applied. The 
clinician is justified in assigning these cases to a 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 85 

special category, because of the series of character- 
istic symptoms which accompany the course of the 
affection. 

The majority of patients are men, between thirty 
and forty years of age, and whose occupations or 
pursuits preclude bodily exercise. The initiatory 
symptoms are referred to the respiratory or circu- 
latory functions. As in the case before you, the 
onset is sudden and may be described as an asth- 
matic attack. From its very inception the attack 
is complicated by tumultuous cardiac action. Fre- 
quently the patient, who is anxiously noting the 
pulsations, observes striking variations in their 
force and occasional intermittent action. Hence, 
in his description of the ailment, he dwelt upon the 
heart disturbance to the exclusion of other details. 
In the first stages of the disease, a careful inquiry 
as to the possible existence of any gastric disorder 
furnishes negative results. 

The duration of the attacks is variable. Before 
the affection assumes a chronic character, the at- 
tacks last two or three days, and are as sudden in 
their disappearance as they were in their onset. 
In contrast to the apparent severity of the illness, 
the patients are, as a rule, well nourished, healthy- 
looking individuals. 

The intervals between the attacks growing short- 
er, the chronic stage is gradually entered upon. 
Now we are dealing with a very obstinate, compli- 



86 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

cated process, the most disagreeable feature of 
which is atonic dyspepsia, involving the entire di- 
gestive tract. 

As may be expected, psychic depression and hy- 
pochondriacal symptoms are features of the course 
of the disease. . 

All observers agree that the prime etiological 
factor in the production of this state is a dietetic 
error. In all probability we are dealing here with 
a peculiar idiosyncrasy of the stomach. Vegetable 
acids, certain frtiits, nuts, alcohol, especially in the 
form of acid wines, have been found to act as iri- 
tants and causes of the attacks just described. 
Especially, however, has it been demonstrated that 
the ingestion of large quantities of cold fluids, as 
ice water, cold beer, etc., may be regarded as an 
etiological factor in many cases. 

When we view the co-existence of the symptoms, 
viz. , dyspnoea, palpitation, pronounced arhythmatic 
cardiac action, disturbed digestion, we must con- 
clude that the condition is one of reflex irritation of 
the vagus,* depending upon some injurious effects 
produced upon its gastric branches. 

In arriving at our diagnosis we must differentiate 
between this and gastralgia, gastric catarrh, nerv- 
ous dyspepsia. We can readily arrive at a definite 
conclusion if we bear in mind the severe lancinat- 

*The pneumo gastric nerve is called Vagus by many writ- 
ers. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 87 

ingpain of gastfalgia, the nausea, and vomiting of 
gastric catarrh, and the headache, somnolency or 
other nervous symptoms, which immediately follow 
the ingestion of food in nervous dyspepsia. In the 
cases of reflex neurosis, which I desire to distin- 
guish from other similar affections, the diagnosis 
rests chiefly upon a functional disturbance of the 
circulatory apparatus due to irritation of a healthy 
normal stomach. 

The prognosis as to cure is excellent ; and as to 
time necessary to affect such a cure, it depends up- 
on the conditions found in the individual case, and 
the treatment followed. n 

Another symptom of dyspepsia which I have seen 
mentioned b) no medical writer is this one, better 
illustrated by the history of the following case : 

Observation XXI. A young man of 27 years of 
age, an M. D., came to me in 1892, having been 
troubled for the last two years w T ith a heaviness in 
the head, recurring more and more often, lately 
three or four times a week ; there was no heart- 
burn (pyrosis), no gas was belched up, the bowels 
were not quite regular, there was no vomiting, in 
fact hardly a symptom of sickness except this one. 
Almost every night, he felt a soreness all over the 
abdomen ; pressure or a change of position would 
neither increase or diminish the soreness, it would 
be felt from one or two o'clock in the morn- 
ing till half an hour after arising ; this soreness 



88 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

caused uneasiness and sleeplessness. The meals 
were taken regularly and did not distress or cause 
any trouble, apparently digestion was good. In 
short there was not a symptom we ordinarily find 
pointing towards dyspepsia. 

This M. D. had a large practice and was always 
rather busy, therefore calling too much upon his 
nervous forces, the result being "nervous dyspep- 
sia in the bowels." 

And what proved this most conclusively was that 
in 14 weeks without medicine of any kind, he was 
cured by no other treatment than the supplying of 
his nervous system with positive electricity through 
the static machine ; and to-day, 28 months since, 
he is as well as can be and has not been troubled 
with that most uncomfortable soreness. 

With some persons dyspepsia will be character- 
ized by belching and acid regnigitation, sometimes 
so acid that for hours a burning sensation is felt in 
the throat ; men who smoke too much or who drink 
are especially affected that way, and also those of 
a bilious temperament. 

There is a form of nervous dyspepsia, those very 
nervous or of hysterical tendencies have, when 
craving hunger takes the place of want of appetite. 
The patient has the continued sensation as of a 
vacuum in the stomach, hunger is always present 
and when it is satisfied, it is accompanied by a sen- 
sation of faintness. This dyspepsia is generally 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 89 

not associated with belching, flatulency or consti- 
pation, diarrhoea is most always present. 

There are certain special cases of paroxysmal 
dyspepsia known as "nervous gastroxia, n * and 
which might well be nothing but a variety of mi- 
graine ; but the description of which well finds the 
place here . The paroxysm suddenly comes on most 
always after continued and excessive intellectual 
work, or after often repeated nightly toil, they usu- 
ally come on every other month or every month ; 
between the paroxysms the health is good. 

The paroxysm is constituted by a violent head- 
ache, by a burning pressure in the stomach and by 
vomiting so acid that for hours the pharynx will 
keep that hot and biting sensation ; these par- 
oxsyms last from one to three days. A few glasses 
of hot water, absolute quiet in bed, at the mo- 
ment of the attack, is the best treatment ; between 
these attacks, static electricity applied over the 
stomach and head will cure if continued long 
enough. 

Sometimes d}^spepsia will cause disorders of the 
vision, as diplopia (seeing double) strabismus, 
which will soon disappear under proper treatment 
of dyspeptic trouble, 

A foul breath is occasionally the only symptom 

*Described by Rossbach under the name of "Gastroxynsis." 
Lepinegave it the name of "Nervous Gastroxia" in the Bulle- 
tin de la Societe IMedicale des Hopitaux, 10 Avril, 1885. 



90 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

of dyspepsia ; but one must not be misled by the 
foul breath due to a decayed tooth, to ozena, to 
catarrh, etc. ; the food not being properly digested 
in the stomach a commencement of putrefaction 
sets in which causes the breath to become foul. 

As everybody will notice in dyspepsia, the skin 
is more or less sallow, and always rough or 
u greasy" as I was graphically told one day by a 
lady. 

Many cases of eruptions* such as exanthema 
papula, vesicula pustula, eczema, etc., have been 
cured by the treatment , of the dyspeptic trouble 
which caused these eruptions. 

A slight, dry, hacking, tiresome cough is often 
present in dyspepsia, and its only symptom ; this 
cough will disappear as soon as dyspepsia is cured, 
or attended to. 

The pulse is small and weak, thread-like, some- 
times intermittent, and this irregularity of the 
heart's action is felt by the patient as palpitation. 
Some patients have a certain characteristic odor 
which is also communicated to their underwear, 
and with each exacerbation, this odor becomes 
stronger. Constipation is most always present and 
is sometimes the result of dyspepsia, other times, 
the cause of it. The faeces will usually come out 
in hard and dry little lumps ; which is a sure sign 
that intestinal dyspepsia is present. 

*L. Brocq, Traitement de Maladies de la Peau, Paris. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 91 

All the above symptoms will not be found in all 
cases of dyspepsia, nor even in the majority of 
them, sometimes one, sometimes another symp- 
tom will predominate and characterize the dyspep- 
tic trouble. 



92 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

TREATMENT OF DYSPEPSIA. 

The treatment of dyspepsia is all important, and 
we will divide it into hygienic, medical and elec- 
trical treatments. 

Hygienic. Temperance in the food and drink 
has always been considered the best and the most 
natural means of enjoying good health. 

Regular habits and sobriety constitute a guaran- 
tee of long life ; starting from this principle, the 
number of meals, the amount of food and drink 
must be regulated by age, by the appetite, and by 
the digestive power of the stomach. The one that 
grows eats oftener than a middle-aged person, the 
active farmer more than the city man, etc. 

Here are a few rules which, if closely followed, 
will bring back strength to the stomach, if one is 
dyspeptic, and keep it strong if one is well : 

I. The meals are to be taken with great regu- 
larity, and at great enough intervals that the stom- 
ach may have time to thoroughly digest every 
morsel of food. It is better to eat moderately three 
times a day than to eat abundantly twice. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 93 

II. The meals are to be taken slowly, so as not 
to pack the stomach. Rapid eating is slow 

SUICIDE. 

III. Mastication must be thorough, our teeth 
have their usefulness, they were not placed in our 
mouth only as an ornament, but also to perforin 
their function, which is part of digestion ; food 
is cut up by the teeth, and the saliva penetrates 
every particle of it, thereby aiding in the work to 
be done by the gastric juice in the stomach. Here 
is the invariable rule I give : "Put into the mouth 
a bit of solid food, then bite it 33 times, and by the 
time you get to the last stroke the food will be so 
well cut up that there will hardly be anything left 
in the mouth to swallow. This takes but very few 
seconds." 

IV. Not a single morsel of food is to be allowed 
to pass whole or semi-solid. 

V. Drink very little during the meal. If mas- 
tication is thorough there will be little need of 
drinking. One usually drinks not on ac- 
count OF THIRST, but to wash the food down. 

VI. Avoid ice cream, ice drinks, etc., at meals 
or when out ; a bit of pure water (spring water 
preferred) with claret, port, sherry or some light 
wine, about a wine glass in a tumbler of water is 
the best drink to take. One such glass is plenty 
of liquid for any one meal. 

VII. Strong tea or coffee is responsible for a 

7 



94 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

great many cases of dyspepsia. Tea or coffee will 
do for one stomach, but will injure a dozen others 
perhaps, even when taken weak. Very strong tea 
or coffee is not to be taken at all. Of the two, 
coffee is the most stimulating and the most injuri- 
ous if taken in large quantities. 

VIII. It is almost needless to say that appe- 
tizers, appertizing drinks, etc., are extremely dan- 
gerous, on account of the artificial hunger created, 
the stomach will be over-loaded and will grow 
weaker by overwork until dyspepsia finally sets in. 

IX. The choice and the variety of food are two 
very important factors in the treatment of dyspep- 
sia. It is not wise to eat always of the same food. 

X. For a hard working man, meats are re- 
quired; steaks, roasts of pork, of beef, of veal, of 
mutton, etc., in short, eatables containing a deal 
of substance; others ought to eat only such food 
as they can easily digest, as chicken, beef, turkey, 
turbot, flounder, sole, rice, lentils, fruits with juicy 
pulp, for those that are farinaceous are of no easy 
digestion. 

XI. It is very imprudent to eat immediately 
after great exertions either physical or mental, 
such as violent manual work or training, contin- 
ued writing, speaking or singing, after hearing 
very good or very bad news, etc. It is better to 
wait until the nervous system has calmed down 
somewhat. It is well after such exertions, to 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 95 

sleep, for sleep is the rest of a tired nervous sys- 
tem and the time of its recuperation. 

XII. For a half hour to an hour after eating, 
all physical or mental work ought to be left alone. 
A walk, agreeable conversation, laughable stories, 
a cigar (not for women !) after the meal are of 
great help to digestion. It is accelerated by 
cheerfulness, but this does not occur till the close 
of the meal, nor until the fluids are absorbed, or 
solidified as in the case of milk. 

XIII. It is better to eat in company than alone. 
The solitary eater is more apt to become dyspeptic 
than the social one or those who eat and hold con- 
versation between the courses. 

XIV. Let pastry severely alone, it is only too 
true that New England eats too much pastry and 
the sarcastic remark of a writer about the u Pie- 
Belt" of the United States is quite true; more 
dyspepsia has been caused by pastry than by all the 
other kinds of food put together. All kinds of 
pastry will lay heavily on the stomach, the only 
pastry not injurious is that of the variety called 
4 'sponge cakes." 

Preserves, cakes and pies must be avoided. 

XV. Dyspeptics must not forget this general 
rule, never to fully satisfy their appetite, but to 
stop as soon as they feel the first sensation of sat- 
iation, and to allow sufficiently long intervals to in- 
tervene between meals. 






96 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

XVI. Exercise daily in the open air is very im- 
portant to a dyspeptic. The bicycle is a useful, 
pleasant, healthful and very practical way to get 
regular exercise which helps to make an active 
brain and able body. So is bathing, which main- 
tains the healthy action of the skin with which the 
stomach sympathizes. But active exercise ought 
not to be taken just before or just after a meal. 
4 ( After dinner sit awhile. n 

XVII. The dyspeptic may be able to do the 
most for his own cure. In the words of the late 
Professor N. Chapman : u If he be intemperate, he 
is to be sober; if he uses opium or tobacco, he must 
relinquish it ; if indolent, he must be awakened to 
enterprise ; if luxurious, he must consent to change 
his scheme of life ; if studious to abandon the mid- 
night lamp ; if afflicted we must cheer him with 
the light of hope, or, if this be difficult, give him 
the great consolation of occupation, interest, em- 
ployment. " 

Medical treatment. First. The best 
known dyspepsia medicine, also the most used in 
and out of place is pepsin. The administration of 
pepsin ought to be restricted to those cases in which 
its absence from the gastric juice can be proved, 
that is, to cases of advanced mucous catarrh and 
atrophy. Here is the best way of taking it : Pep- 
sin V to XV grains dissolved in water acidulated 






DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 97 

with hydrochloric acid, 15 minutes after eating. 
Fairchild's glycerinum pepticum in usual doses is 
about the best preparation of pepsin, for it contains 
no sugar of milk as most of the artificial prepara- 
tions of pepsin do. Dujardin-Beaumetz's Elixir 
peptogene, consisting 10 parts of dextrin, 20 of rum, 
and 180 of sweetened water is also a very good prep- 
aration. 

Second. Hydochloric acid is of the greatest 
importance in the treatment of chronic dyspepsia 
because it not only replaces the deficiency in the 
secretion and forms acid albuminates so essential 
for peptonization, but also because it prevents or- 
ganic fermentation, or lessens it when already 
present. Javorski has shown that considerable 
quantities of hydrochloric acid may be introduced 
into the stomach without harm. A watery solu- 
tion, as sour as the patient's mouth will tolerate, 
can be taken three times a day, about fifteen min- 
utes after meals. A glass tube should be employed 
as the prolonged use of the acid effects the teeth. 

Third. The lavage of the stomach has 
acheived the greatest success in chronic dyspepsia 
and in dilatation of the stomach. As this treat- 
ment must be given by a physician, it will not be 
gone into any further. 

Fourth. Bitters and carminatives are very 
important in the treatment of dyspepsia. Here 
are a few prescriptions for dyspepsia : 



98 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

Number i. Tinct. nuc vomicae, 1% drachms. 

Decoct, condurango, 10 ounces. 
M. Sig : A tablespoonful three to four times daily, half an 
hour before taking food. 

Number 2. Tinct. Belladonnae, $% scruples. 

Tinct. Nuc. Vomicae, 2 l / 2 drachms. 

Tinct. Castor. Canadensis, 2)^ drachms. 
M. Sig : 15 to 20 drops five times daily. 

Number 3. Tinct. Nuc. Vomicae, 4 drachms. 

Tinct. Gent. Co., 2 ounces. 

Tinct. Columbae, 1 ounce. 

Aqua Menthae pip., 4 1-2 ounces. 
M. Sig : One teaspoonful half hour before meals. 

The three preceeding prescriptions are used in 
nervous debility and aggravated dyspepsia. 

Number 4. Tinct. Gent., 1 ounce. 

Tinct. Ouassiae, 1 ounce. 

Tinct. Columbae, 1 ounce. 

Decoc. Condurango, 5 ounces. 
M. Sig : One dessert-spoonful half an hour before meals. 

Number 5. Fl. Ext. Hydrastis Canadensis, 2 ounces. 
(Merrill's.) 
Glycerine, 2 ounces. 
Aqua Distillata, 2 ounces. 
M. Sig : One tea-spoonful in a wine glass of water, half 
an hour before meals, and at bed time. 

The two preceeding presciptions are used as a 
tonic and for dyspepsia in weak persons. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 99 

Number 6. Pill of Carbonate of Iron, (Vallet's Mass.), 2 
scruples. 

Sulphate of Quinine, 1 scruple. 

Alcoholic Ext. of Nux Vomica, 5 grains. 
Mix and divide into 20 pills. Take one twice daily. 

In prolonged chronic dyspepsia, general debility, 
this will give surprising results 



Number 7. Ext. of Gent., 1 drachm. 

Powder of Rhubarb root, 1 drachm. 
Mix and divide into 40 pills. Take 1 or 2 thrice daily. 

In dyspepsia, flatulence or tendency to colic. 



Number 8. Ext. of Gent., 30 grains. 

Powdered Rhubard, 30 grains. 

Blue Mass., 4 grains. 

Oil of Cloves, 4 drops. 
Mix and divide into 20 pills. Take one three or four times 
daily for a few days. 

To prevent recurring bilious headache. 



Number 9. Subnitrate of Bismuth, i l / 2 drachms. 

Pepsin, 1 % drachms. 

Sulphate of Strychnia, 1 grain. 

Compound Tincture of Cardamon, 4 ounces. 
Mix. Take one teaspoonful thrice daily in a wine glass of 
water. 



In nervous dyspepsia. 



100 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

Number 10. Dilute Nitro-Muriatic Acid, 30 drops. 

Tinct. of Nuc. Vomicae, 1 drachm. 

Comp. Tinct. of Gentian, 4 ounces. 
Take one teaspoonful in water after each meal. 

Ill nervous dyspepsia. 

In England they are fond of this bitter prepara- 
tion. 



Number 11. Ipecac, 10 grains. 

Ext. Nuc. Vomicae, 10 grains. 
Mix and divide into 30 pills. On pill half an hour before 
meals. 



Carlsbad and Marienbad waters have a world 
wide reputation, and yet patients, with pro- 
nounced neurosis of the stomach, ought never be 
sent to drink these waters, for they will increase 
the irritative manifestations of the nervous de- 
pression. For these nervous patients we must 
recommend a general tonic treatment, any of the 
above prescriptions, which will vary with the 
individual will answer. 

Milk is often very refreshing. Some persons 
do not digest milk with ease, the same with cocoa. 
A cup of hot milk, before going to bed, or at one's 
meals, is most always surprising in its good re- 
sults upon the tired stomach and head. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 101 

Cardialgia, a pain limited, as its name indicates, 
to about the situation of the cardia. It seems to 
depend mainly upon acidity, aggravated perhaps 
by butyric fermentation. Aromatic spirits of am- 
monia, tincture of ginger, camphor water, chloro- 
form in five or ten drop doses, or antacids after 
meals, as bicarbonate of sodium five to ten grains, 
bicarbonate of potassium two or five grains, or a 
dessert spoonful of lime water will contribute much 
to the comfort of the patient. Carbonate of mag- 
nesia, charcoal, etc., are also taken with good 
results. 

Gastralgia or Gastrodynia, or pain all over 
the stomach. u Stomach-ache" is common in dys- 
pepsia. Carminatives are appropriate for it. One 
of the best is oil of cajuput, five drops at a dose, on 
a lump of sugar. Spirits of camphor, compound 
spirits of lavender, compound tincture of cardamon, 
and essence of ginger (Jamaica ginger) are among 
the most popular preparations for its relief. A 
mouthful of very hot water will sometimes quelch 
the pain. 

Pyrosis, or heart-burn, is best treated by mild 
astringents, as oil of amber, catechu, krameria. 

The following is considered by the author as one 
of the best prescriptions for heart burn. 

Ammonio ferric alum, 3 scruples. 
Cinnamon water, 6 ounces. 
Dissolve. Take a dessert spoonful four times a day. 



102 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

Dr. Lawson considers the sulphites to be almost 
infallible in the treatment of pyrosis ; tincture 
chloride of iron has also been given with very good 
results. Sub. nit. of bism. 15 grains 3 times a 
day is also highly recommended. 

In the nervous diseases of the stomach, the ques- 
tion will depend whether they are of an irritative 
or depressive nature. For local hyperesthesia, 
gastralgia, vomiting, and even spasmodic con- 
ditions in very nervous or hysterical patients, 
Ewald gives the following : 

Morphinse Hydrochloratis, 3 grains. 
Cocainae Hydrochloratis, 4 grains. 
Tinctura Belladonnae, 2 drachms. 
Aqua Amygdalae Amarae, 6 drachms. 
M. Sig : Ten to fifteen drops every hour until relieved. 

When patients object to cocaine or morphine, a 
three to five per cent solution of chloral may be 
taken in teaspoonful doses every hour or two, it 
has a good sedative action. Massage of the stom- 
ach has also given good results. 

The internal stomach douche has (in the clinic 
of Prof. Kussmaul) given suprising results. 

Rosenthal, L,eube, Rosenbach, Vizioli, Dieula- 
foy, Germain See, etc., have all derived splendid 
results from the constant (electrical) current. The 
induced current has also been used to great 
advantage. The negative pole on the lumbar 
region, the positive pole over the stomach. Good 






DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 103 

results have been obtained in Paris with the neg- 
ative pole in the stomach and the positive over the 
epigastrium. 

When nervous dyspepsia is due to a central cause, 
either of the salts of potassium, sodium or 
ammonium may be used, affording great relief ; 
from 20 to 30 grains three times a day. The 
tincture of the chloride of iron is used very ex- 
tensively by the author and with very good results, 
beginning with 10 or 15 drops thrice daily, gradu- 
ally increasing to 30 drops in a wine glass of water 
with the white of an egg beaten in. Not one in 
a hundred sensative stomachs but will bear this 
albuminate of iron. 

Constipation. Constipation is the cause of 
great discomfort. The effects of non-evacuation 
may be intestinal obstruction or inflammation, sym- 
pathetic headache, stomach or liver disorder, 
urino-genital irritation, offensive perspiration, con- 
tamination of the blood , etc . Consequently constipa- 
tion must be cured before we can hope to cure 
dyspepsia when this trouble is present. 

Stewed prunes, I consider a specific to clear 
the bowels. This is the way to take them : take 
four stewed prunes or more before going to bed, 
also take them once or twice in the day at meal 
time ; there is also one rule to follow, which is, to 
have a regular hour every day to empty the bowels. 



104 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

Of medicines, rhubard pills, podophyllin pills, 
colocynth, aloes, etc., are given when there is 
especial torpor. Glycerine suppositories once in 
a while are useful. However, the following rule 
has always given me good results. 

The rectum is emptied, or teased to empty itself, 
every day at the same hour, and in from four to 
six weeks the bowels will move every day. The 
first attempts are not always successful, but 
if constant, one will be rewarded by the regular 
action of the bowels after a time. 



Electrical Treatment, f These two preceed- 
ing treatments are the principal ones used in 
dyspepsia by medical men, but there is one other 
treatment which can and ought to be used in every 
case of dyspepsia^ treatment which is sure to give 
good results if only used properly. I refer to the 
special treatment with the static machine* to static 

ELECTRICITY. 

I have used static electricity in 49 different cases 
of dyspepsia of from a few weeks to 15 years 
duration, and invariably with good results. 

The machine I use is a machine of French make % 

IThis treatment I have been the first to use in cases of dys- 
pepsia, and always with good results. The) Author. 

*For further reference see appendix. 

JGaiffe fils, the celebrated electrician of Paris, being the 
maker. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. ]05 

which can give me sparks from one to 14 inches 
in length, and in all kinds of weather. 

If a weak or nervous person has dyspepsia, 
I connect her with the positive pole, the patient 
being on an isolated stool, and draw from her a 
spark with an appropriate instrument . These sparks 
have a very great tonic effect upon the nerves and 
muscular tissue, it is especially tonic with asthenic 
patients and in chronic dyspepsia. It regulates 
the circulation, rendering it more active, and dis- 
tributing more equally the blood supply all over 
the body. 

There is absolutely no danger with this 
kind of electrical treatment, but it is only 
a specialist that can use it discriminated.* 
In mild cases of dyspepsia I will use the pointed 
electrode, bringing it within an inch to an inch and 
a half of the patient, that is, until I draw a spark 
from the patient's body. These sparks are drawn 
from all parts of the body, so that all the muscles 
will be made to contract and thereby activate cir- 
culation. Immediately after each treatment the 
pulse is stronger and more regular than before. 

From over the stomach are drawn most of the 
sparks, increasing their force as the benefit is 

*Prof. Fleming of the Royal Institute, London, England, has 
recently, this month (January, 1895) proved by experiments 
that a static spark, although of great tension, has little in 
quantity. The Author. 



106 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

greater, and as the dyspeptic trouble grows better ; 
sparks are drawn from over the liver when it is 
sluggish, so that its action will be more regular. 
The intestines are more active after a treatment 
over them. 

The spinal column ought to be attended to at 
every seance, as it is a nerve centre, and it must be 
made stronger every day. 

The circulation being made more active, the 
blood supply is greater and the nerves grow 
stronger at every treatment, as they are fed more, 
so that the beneficial effects of static electricity are 
rapid. Every week the dyspeptic notices that 
his strength is coming back, that food does not 
distress as much, that digestion is easier, that more 
food can be taken, that his weight is increasing, 
etc., and this without any medicine whatever. 

Though in a few cases medicine is required, 
in many instances, dyspepsia is cured with 
no other treatment than the electrical. 



Here are a few of the cures obtained by this 
treatment . 

Observation VI. Mrs. h , 26 years of age, 

had enjoyed very good health up to 21 months be- 
fore she came to me, the second day of July, 1892. 
Since then food would lay heavy in her stomach, 
she complained of great lassitude and of cramps in 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 107 

the stomach. There was a complete loss of appe- 
tite. The face was pinched and the complexion 
sallow. The appearance was bad and the general 
weakness increasing, the cramps were not con- 
stantly present at the time of taking food. 

There was no localized pain over the stomach ; 
no acidity in the stomach ; she would occassionally 
belch up gas ; the pulse was tense and rapid; the 
temperature was normal, no tenderness over the 
ovaries. She was rather nervous. Medicine had 
never helped her, she said. 

The electrical treatment was begun on the sec- 
ond day of July, 1892, and it was given twace a 
week; at first the positive electricity was given 

very weak, then gradually, as Mrs. L grew 

stronger, the sparks being drawn from over the 
stomach and bowels, and along the spine, the dose 
was increased every week until she was well. It 
took about three months and a half to cure this 
patient, who is still well. 

Observation XIX. May, 1S90, Mr. J , 42 

years old ; for over two years he has complained of 
acid eructations, of constantly loosing appetite, 
there was most ahvays present a distention of the 
abdomen, with pressure and fullness there as gases 
were present in the bowels. He was sleepless and 
the head ached often, there were spells of dizziness, 
the bowels w^ere irregular and costive, anxiety 
was pronounced, he was tending to hypochondria- 



108 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURK IT. 

sis. The tongue was coated, the stomach of nor- 
mal size ; but by the Ewald tests with iodide of po- 
tassium and salol both showed retardation of ab- 
sorption and motion. This patient was given four 
ounces of the following solution, besides the elec- 
trical treatment over the stomach, head and along 
the spine. 

Tinct. Nuc. Vomicae, i% drachm. 
Decoc. Condurango, 4 ounces. 
M. Sig. One teaspoonful half an hour before meals, with 
or without water. 

This man was cured in 14 weeks and since then 
dyspepsia has not troubled him. 

Observation XVI. Is given in full on page 87. 

Observation XXXIX. May, 1894, I was called 

to examine a lady, Mrs. J who had been sick 

for fifteen years, medicines were of no avail, and 
her strength was gradually decreasing. I came to 
examine her and found her in bed, she was rather 
thin and feeble, and appeared to be about 36 years 
old. Gas was belched up quite frequently, but 
there was no vomiting or acid eructatioits ; the stom- 
ach was found to be somewhat enlarged ; palpitation 
of the heart would recur now and then, but there 
was no heart disease to be found ; the liver and kid- 
neys were normal, the lungs were examined and were 
perfectly sound, the bowels were irregular, consti- 
pation being present. There was a pain in the 






DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 109 

left side of the abdomen, which was due to a local 
inflammation she had when her only child was 
born in 1882, which inflammation had become 
chronic. 

This person had suffered such pain and distress 
in her stomach when food was not digested that 
she would eat of very few foods and sparingly of 
them. There was a marked nervousness, but ab- 
solutely no hysterical or hypocrondrical symptoms. 

The following diet was given her. The whites 
of two eggs beaten in spring water to be drunk as 
often as four to six times in 24 hours. As soon as 
Mrs. G. was able to get up, she came to the office, 
traveling 80 miles in the cars on her way to and 
fro and yet there was a gradual improvement un- 
der the electrical treatment which was given twice 
a week, all over the body. Faradisation through 
a thin coil was made over the left side, the posi- 
tive pole on the anterior abdominal wall, the neg- 
ative in the lumbar region. Stewed prunes were 
ordered for the constipation. The patient is still 
under treatment, but this is her present state. 
The bowels are now regular, the stomach will di- 
gest quite a good deal. Mrs. G. has grown flesh- 
ier, the nervousness has most all disappeared, the 
pain in the side is gone, and the palpitations of 
the heart have not recurred and it is an uncom- 
mon thing to belch up gas, so that we can truth- 
fullv sav that recoverv is in siodit. 



110 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 



CHAPTER XX. 

GASES IN THE STOMACH AND INTESTINES OR 
GASTRO-INTESTINAL PNEUMATOSIS. 

In the normal and natural state, the intestines 
contain a certain amount of gas, absolutely neces- 
sary so that the walls of the intestines will not fall 
in over each other. When that normal amount is 
increased the person has in the intestines a noise 
caused by the displacement of the gases. This 
noise is called barborygms. 

When one eats fruits or vegetables with thick 
skin, which is not digested, they will cause 
more gas to be present in the bowels than usual, 
but this gas will dissappear with the cause. If 
these gases recur often, they will determine a flatu- 
lent affection which is very uncomfortable, often 
painful, and which, in the end, weakens, more or 
less, the digestive functions. With reason, it is 
believed that such food as cabbage, carrots, peas, 
radishes, beans, turnips, etc., also improperly 
cooked mealy substances, will bring on gases in 



DYSPEPvSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. HI 

the intestinal tube of certain persons, according to 
the temperament, to the regime, and to the social 
condition. In fact the farmer, the workingman, 
the countryman, leading an active, open-air life, 
can eat most any hard-to-digest food without 
trouble, whilst the business man, the city lady, 
nervous and delicate persons, will according to 
their state of health, feel that the food will not di- 
gest well and that the stomach is uneasy. As the 
food proceeds further in the intestines, gas will 
form and cause great discomfort. 

Gas is formed by a sort of fermentation, in the 
bowels, of indigestible food, or, in other cases, 
it is due to an abnormal secretion of the mucous 
membrane of the stomach, and of the intestines. 



These gaseous dyspepsias are real neuroses, 
very obstinate, very capricious in their course, their 
symptoms and their duration. To-day the dyspep- 
tic feels sure of an early recovery, to-morrow he 
is morose and feels despondent. Very seldom will 
a person vomit in this disease. Persons troubled 
with "flatulent dyspepsia" are pale, their tortures 
leave traces upon their face, the complexion is more 
or less sallow, they are irritable, very nervous, and 
often have spells of dizziness. The amount of gas 
passed is sometimes incredible, everything seems 



112 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 

to ferment and make gas in the stomach and 
bowels. 

Belching is very frequent, the gas is either odor- 
less or has an offensive, sonr smell and disagreeably 
rancid taste. It is frequently accompanied by the 
regurgitation of fluid or remnants of food from the 
stomach, having a very sour and disagreeable taste. 
These regurgitated masses often impart a burning 
and scratching sensation along the oesophagus. 

Soon after eating, the dyspeptics feel oppressed 
and bloated. There is a vague choking sensation, 
and if a slight pressure is made on the stomach, it 
will cause pain. 

The dyspeptics very frequently have the feeling 
that the food remains abnormally long in the 
stomach, the result of which is a decomposition in 
the ingesta. This produces distention of the 
stomach with gas, erect ations of offensive gases, 
and regurgitation of sour and rancid masses. 

The distention of the stomach in turn paralyses its 
muscular fibres, and causes a feeling of tension and 
pain; the decomposed or insufficiently digested 
stomach contents irritate the intestines, and the 
conditions thus produced are reflected back to the 
stomach, and thus the vicious circle, which is 
present in all affections of the stomach, is com- 
pleted ; these decompositions usually occur at 
night, in the morning they may be absent or only 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 113 

very slight, there is most always more or less se- 
vere palpitation of the heart, causing the patient 
to believe that he has a heart disease. 

Constipation exists as a rule. In a few cases 
diarrhoea and constipation alternate ; hemorhoides 
are often present and the movements are conse- 
quently painful. 

As general symptoms, we notice a dimunition of 
of mental activity, disinclination to bodily exertion, 
languor during the day, especially after meals, 
headache or a feeling of oppression in the head, 
and a more irritable disposition. The dyspeptics 
frequently complain of a feeling of heaviness in 
every limb, cold extremities, itching and formica- 
tion. Sleep is deeper and longer than usual, but 
is not refreshing and is disturbed by hidious 
dreams.* 

Treatment. For the treatment of this affection 
see the hygienic medical and electrical treatments 
on page 92. 

Here are a few preparations, any of which will 
give immediate relief when the stomach is full of 
gases : Infusion of aniseed, oil of cajuput, five 
drops at a dose on a lump of sugar ; spirits of 
camphor, five to 20 drops ; compound tincture of 
cardamon, one-half to a teaspoonful ; essence of 



*One can, besides the above symptoms, have one or more 
of the symptoms described at page 81. 



114 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

ginger, five to 30 drops ; compound spirits of 
lavender, 30 to 60 drops ; essence of peppermint, 
five to 25 drops ; tincture of capsicum, one to 10 
drops, on a lump of sugar, etc., etc., etc. 

Any of these will almost instantly free the 
stomach of the gases accumulated in it. 






DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 115 



CHAPTER XXI. 

CORRELATION OF THE DISEASES OF THE STOMACH 
TO THOSE OF OTHER ORGANS. 

We have to discover in this chapter the real 
cause of the dyspeptic disturbance, which is only 
a symptomatic feature of a disease outside of the 
stomach. 

The effect of the diseases of other organs upon 
the stomach, and their reciprocal action have been 
carefully studied by W. Fenwick, Louis, Andral, 
Germain See, Dujardin-Beaumetz, Ewald, and 
others, and is today a well established fact. 

There is always more or less marked catarrh of 
the mucous membrane of the stomach in the 
following : in diseases of the kidney, pulmonary 
phthisis, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, valvular 
lesions of the heart, etc. 

Tuberculosis. The most important is tuber- 
culosis. It is well known that the course of 
phthisis may be marked by dyspeptic symptoms, 
and as Louis, Andral and Bourdon pointed out 



116 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

long ago, there are many cases of tuberculosis in 
which the first symptom to attract the attention is 
dyspepsia. Hutchinson says that, in 33 per cent, 
dyspeptic symptoms precede the onset of tubercu- 
lar manifestations. These persons are delicate and 
anaemic, they begin to complain of loss of appetite, 
oppression and fullness after eating, and irregu- 
larity of the bowels, they suffer from regurgitation 
and a foul taste in the mouth, they feel feeble and 
languid. They are treated a long while before the 
dry, hacking cough is taken notice of and con- 
sumption suspected. 



Anemia and Chlorosis.* Thechanges in the 
digestive tract in anaemia and in chlorosis are 
closely allied. They undoubtedly play an impor- 
tant part which has been very much neglected ; 
hence, in the treatment of anaemia, efforts should 
first be made to improve the conditions of the 
digestive organs and then the composition of the 
blood. 



Heart Disease. In the valvular affections of 
the heart, the nature of the lesion causes a veinous 
congestion and the symptoms of a chronic catarrh 

* Austin Flint was the first to call attention to the relation 
between anaemia and atrophy of the gastric glands. 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. ] 17 

of the stomach. When a patient comes to me 
for a heart trouble, I always examine the symp- 
toms of the stomach, and eight times out of 
ten, the patient has dyspepsia pure and simple ; 
but heart disease, by its veinous congestion of the 
stomach, causes dyspepsia with all its weakening 
effects upon the whole system, for, if digestion is 
poor, the patient will not recuperate his strength 
as thoroughly as one with a good stomach. 

Diseases of the Kidxeys. Biernacki lays 
stress upon the retention of the metabolic products, 
which lessens the secretion of the gastric juice by 
emans of nerYOiis influences. 

Rexal Tumors or Cancer, may for a long time 
cause only disturbances of digestion, anorexia, 
Yomiting and emaciation. 

ColleYille, in the 'Trogres Medical, No. 20, 
1883, Paris, n reported a case, where these, up to 
the patient's death, were the only symptoms ; 
when there is a floating kidney, we will always 
find that there is pain in the stomach, and that 
dyspeptic disturbances are at first the only things 
complained of. 

LiYER. The liver stands in such close relation- 
ship to the stomach, that serious functional 



118 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

disturbances of the one, are, without exception, 
reflected on the other ; this close connection, and 
the fact that so many noxious substances introduced 
from without act on both visceras at once, — I will 
only mention alcohol — render it very difficult to say 
which is affected first. For example, in the very 
great majority of cases, cirrhosis of the liver is 
accompanied by chronic gastritis, yet, even if 
we observe that the symptoms of a doubtful hepa- 
tic cirrhosis have for a longer or shorter time 
preceded a chronic gastric catarrh, we are utterly 
unable to tell whether the two stand in a casual 
relation or are simply coincident. Nevertheless, 
we should never forget the fact that many cases of 
hepatic cirrhosis for a long time run their course 
as chronic gastritis, and that the same is true of 
cancer of the liver. 

Often have I been called upon to cure " dyspep- 
sia" when after a careful examination of the stom- 
ach contents, and after the Ewald tests with iodide 
of potassium and salol, I would be suprised to find 
that all the dyspeptic disturbances were due to a 
sluggish liver. 

Observation XXXVI. Mr. Cal, aged 29, had 
been sick for eight months previous to his call 
at the office, (October 10, 1894) and had been 
under four different physicians' care all that time. 
His appetite was not good, his limbs felt heavy, 



DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 119 

his head ached often, gas was belched up now and 
then, the bowels were somewhat costive and there 
was a dull ache in the pit of the stomach towards 
the right side. In this case no electricity was used 
but I gave him the following pill, he has taken 
two a day with most surprising results. His liver 
acted well from the start, and he is cured of his 
dyspepsia and all the other troubles. 



Podophilluin, 1-4 grain. 
Ext. Rhubarb, 1-4 grain. 
Ext. Gentian, 1-2 grain. 



Diabetes. Diabetes gives rise to error most 
frequently. For many years diabetics are consider- 
ed to be suffering from some stomach trouble, until 
the urine is examined on account of the develop- 
ment of the specific symptoms of emaciation, 
pruritus, polyuria, ravenous appetite, dental caries, 
ocular disturbances, constant thirst, etc. 



Gout. The relations of gout to the disturb- 
ances of digestion have been especially discussed 
in English medical literature. According to some 
writers, there is a specific gouty disorder of the 
stomach resulting from the uric acid diathesis. 
Thus, not long ago Burney Yeo claimed that one 



120 DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURB IT. 

of the prominent manifestations of this condition 
was dyspepsia in ail its forms. 



Rheumatic Diathesis. This rheumatic dia- 
thesis has played a prominent part in French 
medical literature. Ewald, of Berlin, says that 
he has often met cases in which the dyspeptic dis- 
turbances and pain were so severe during an attack 
of rheumatism that the pains in the joints were 
comparatively insignificant. 

Skin. Pidoux,* of Paris, has paid particular 
attention to this subject. The same can be said 
of Brocq, of Paris, and of many others; it is too 
well known to insist upon that eruptions of the 
skin will be brought on, or an existing one made 
worse after errors of diet. We all know the 
relation of eczema to digestion. See chap. XV 
for further reference. 



Malarial Poisoning. It may be manifested 
as an intermittent cardialgia, or in the form of the 
neuroses of the stomach, which will be character- 
ized be a certain regularity, and which can be re- 
lieved only by quinine as long as the patient re- 

*Rapport de Therpetisme et des Dyspepsies. Union Med. 
No. i, 1886. The Author. 






DYSPEPSIA AND HOW TO CURE IT. 121 

mains in the malarial district. One not infrequent- 
ly meets with such cases of intermittent dyspepsia. 

These various manifestations are quite common 
in New York and Boston, and should always be 
borne in mind in obstinate cases of dyspepsia. 

In the treatment, Warburg's tincture will be 
found to be especially useful in connection with the 
static machine. 






APPENDIX. 



ELECTRICITY. 



A PAPER READ BEFORE THE NASHUA MEDICAL 

ASSOCIATION, NASHUA, N. H., 

MARCH 15, 1895. 

BY 

M. T. GERIN-LAJOIE, M. D., C. M 

Member of the "New Hampshire Medical Society " Member of the 

"Societe Francaise cV Electrotherapies of Paris; Member 

of the ' Societe cV Hypnologie" of Paris ; etc., etc. 



Copyrighted, 1895, by M. T. Gerin-Lajoie, M. D., C. M. 



ELECTRICITY. 



To understand how electricity can do good to 
our weakened muscular and nervous systems, it is 
indispensable to say a few words of the physio- 
logical action of electricity, whether galvanic, 
faradic, or static, as it passes through our organism ; 
its influence upon our NERVES, MUSCLES, CIRCU- 
LATION, THE NERVE CENTERS, and all our organs. 

Every one knows that the starting point of all 
researches about the contraction of the muscles by 
the application of electricity, was the celebrated 
experience of Galvani in 1786. After that many 
eminent physicians made discoveries which have 
brought electricity to its present state. Volta, 
Loder, Bischoff, Haller, Magandie, Franklin, etc., 
were the pioneers. 



Our organism is a thermo-electric cell, with this 
diff erance : A THEMO-ELECTRIC CELL RECEIVING 
HEAT RETURNS ELECTRICITY, WHILST OUR OR- 



6 ELECTRICITY. 

GANS RECEIVING ELECTRICITY RETURN MOTION, 
SENSATION OR TROPHIC ACTION. 

This theory of transformation of energy by the 
living organism has not even been proved by 
experimentation ; bnt it seems to be in such close 
accord with the other physical phenomena that I 
think it the only true one, and one which will in 
time be demonstrated by experiments. 

It would be injustice to wait for the exact know- 
ledge of the physiology of the action of electricity 
before we use it in therapeutics. 

Has not every medicine been used as a medicine 
before we knew what was its exact physiological 
action ? 

The carefully taken clinical observations of the 
use of electricity will tell us its indication and its 
contra-indication as it did for medicines ; so that 
in time the clinical study of electricity will lead us 
to the thorough knowledge and understanding of 
electro-therapeutics . 

There are three kinds (?) of electricity. The 
galvanic, the earadic, and the STATIC. 

GALVANIC ELECTRICITY. 

Galvanic electricity, or continuous current, is 
generated by what is known as the galvanic bat- 
tery, that is, a number of cells used together or 
singly. This electricity causes no pain until the 



ELECTRICITY. 7 

current is strong, then there is a burning sensation 
at the point of contact between the electrode 
(sponge or instrument) and the skin. This can 
go so far as to cause actual burn, and a cicatrix as 
a result. Even when not at all felt by the patient 
this electricity has a powerful tonic effect. 

Galvanic electricity has different effects accord- 
ing to the pole used. 

At the negative pole we have the accumulation 
of the alkalies. 

At the positive — the acids. 

So that, for instance, when superfluous hair is 
destroyed, the negative electricity must be used 
through the needle* because it leaves no cicatrix 
or depression ; but the positive would. 

FARADIC ELECTRICITY. 

Faradic electricity, or induced current, (also 
called interrupted current) is the electricity gene- 
rated in a cell, but between the cell and the part 
electrified is a small hammer which strikes a coil 
from 15 to 500 or more times a minute, which 
produces the buzzing noise heard, each time the 
hammer touches the coil (or reel) the electrical 
force runs through the part between the two elec- 
trodes of the battery. 

* I have for four years used the platinum needle to the exclu- 
sion of every other, for platinum needles do not corrode. 

Author. 



8 ELECTRICITY. 

That electricity is called faradic ; it causes our 
muscles to contract more or less, according to the 
strength of the current and to the rapidity of the 
interruptions. 

The larger the coil, the greater the 
quantity. 4 

The thinner the coil, the greater the 

TENSION. 

Faradic electricity has different effects according 
to the size of the coil used. 

Thus we must employ the reel with a large (or 
coarse) coil in all cases where muscular energy is 
in fault, i. e. in paralysis due either to sickness or 
to a blow — in atrophy — where the blood vessels 
have lost their power of contraction — in cases 
where there has been an effusion, and where you 
want to effect a reabsorption, i. e. hsematocele, 

etc., IN SHORT, WHERE QUANTITY IS NEEDED. 

When the sympton pain, especially the nervous 
pain, is present, overshadowing most everything 
else, by all means use the reel with the thinnest 
coil, the thinner the better ; for here tension is 
what is wanted. When nervousness is a marked 
symptom, as in nervous vomiting, nervous head- 
ache, etc. This coil (or the static machine) gives 
the best results ; a current from five to ten minutes ' 
duration seldom fails to give immediate relief. 



ELECTRICITY. 9 

STATIC ELECTRICITY. 

Static electricity is generated by a static machine 
This kind of electricity is a powerful remedy in 
the hands of one who understands electricity. 

As Professor Fleming of London (England) has 
proved by experiments in January, 1895, static 
electricity has an enormous tension, with no 
appreciable quantity. 

The oldest and the most usual way of application 
is that by spark or commotion. 

These sparks can be taken either sitting on an 
isolated stool connected with one of the poles of 
the machine, or simply by standing near it and 
bringing any part of the body close enough to draw 
a spark (from the machine). 

The quantity is never great, as when one steps 
down from the isolated stool the surplus electricity, 
which the body does not want to appropriate, goes 
immediately through the ground. 

Therefore, the body appropriates for its 

WANTS JUST WHAT IT NEEDS, THE REST IS DONE 
AWAY WITH THROUGH THE SOIL. 

The beneficial effects of [one electrical treatment 
usually last from a few hours to two or three 
weeks. In some cases it is sufficient to even cure, 
when the trouble is recent. 

Some constitutions seem to lose, or use up in a 
very few hours, the electricity taken, the system 



10 ELECTRICITY. 

does not retain it. I have known a lady of feel 
the beneficial effects of the electrical bath for about 
four hours only, and she was obliged to come after 
treatment every day until cured of the neuralgia 
in her ovaries. 

Usually the effects of each treatment last three 
to five days or more until one is again in perfect 
health. 

I have found that in combining both electricities, 
galvanic and static, the beneficial effects upon the 
system were greater and more apparent than when 
only one kind was used. 

In using both electricities at once I can say : 

The quantity that is wanting in static 
electricity is supplied by the galvanic, and 
what tension is lacking in galvanic elec- 
tricity is provided by the static. 

So that the body is receiving what comes near- 
est to perfection in electricity, for what is wanting 
in the one is supplied by the other. 

EFFECTS OF STATIC ELECTRICITY. 

I will say from the start that I have used the 
positive electrictity of the machine most exclusive- 

For electricity to have a sedative effect seems at 
first a parodox, for you may ask why is it, if a storm 
will cause such a nervousness or nervous irritation 



ELECTRICITY. 11 

with many, that the static machine from which you 
draw lightnings ill miniature will not have sim- 
ilar effects? Why, simply because the close is 
much smaller and the atmospheric conditions are 
not the same, though the electricity is identically 
of the same nature. 

In Electrotherapy the dose has everything to do 
with the effects. This is so evident that I need 
say no more about it. 

Patients after a static bath feel a reaction. 
This sedative effect is so constant that even af- 
ter the very first treatment the tired nerves feel 
stronger and less unstrung, there is a feeling of 
general relief, sleep is calm and restoring ; sleep- 
lessness is often cured after two to five static baths. 

But if an overdose is given or if used by inexpe- 
rienced hands, static electricity will cause excita- 
tion, agitation, sleeplessness, and bring on marked 
nervous disturbances. 

It is very hard to know exactly how much elec- 
tricity one person can take as the effect varies with 
the temperament. 

For instance, hysterical persons require from 20 
to 25 and 30 minutes' treatment, whilst neuras- 
thenic individuals are greatly benefited by baths of 
5 to 10 minutes ' duration. 

The best rule to follow is to begin with very 
small doses, gradually increasing them as the ben- 
efit is greater until the maximum beneficial dose is 



12 ELECTRICITY. 

reached. The state of the patient being your ba- 
rometer. 

The sedative and tonic effects are very pro- 
nounced in neurasthenia — nervousness — weak 
nerves* — when youths have outgrown their 
NERVES — in convalescence after a severe or pro- 
tracted sickness — in sleeplessness — in dyspepsia it 
is most astonishing in its curative effectst — in ner- 
vous palpitation of the heart — in sciatica — in mi- 
graine — in nervous or sick headache — in neuralgia 
wherever found — in nervous vomiting, also in vom- 
iting during pregnancy — in hysteria or where there 
are hysterical tendencies — in dysmenorrhea and 
other uterine or ovarian pains, electricity has no 
superior as a releiving and curative agent — in im- 
potency it has proven itself of the greatest value — 
to men after a night out, it will restore the nervous 
system to its proper equilibrium, enabling them to 
resume their daily work with no other effects than 
the remembrance of their escapade. The bath will 
take all tired feeling out of the nervous system and 
restore the suppleness and free action of the mus- 
cles, etc. 



*In all these there is a marked difference, though usually 
these terms are used to designate the same trouble. 

Dr. Gerin-Lajoie. 

tAs I have pointed out in my "Dyspepsia and how to cure 
it." Dr. Gerin-Lajoie. 



ELECTRICITY. 13 

When the circulation is defective in any part of 
the body (cold extremeties, etc.) electricity tones 
the muscles and blood vessels, bringing them back 
to their natural elasticity and strength, so that the 
blood supply is again regular and normal. 

When the liver is logy* a few treatments over 
it will render the circulation of the portal system 
more active, and regulate the secretion of the bile. 

The immediate effect of the electric spark is to 
cause the muscles touched to contract. Muscles, 
which for months have been paralyzed, will after 
a few weeks of electric treatment be restored to 
their normal state of contractibility, they also will 
become strong and active once more, provided, 
however, the muscular fibre has xot undergone 

FATTY DEGENERATION . 

Here is the observation of an interesting case : 

Mrs. M , age about 24. About a year ago, 

(February, 1894,) ^ ier fi rst child was born. Dur- 
ing the last months of her pregnancy, her legs and 
feet were very much swollen, it was impossible for 

Mrs. M to wear anything but large slippers 

(six or seven was the number) . After the birth 
of the child the limbs did not return to their nor- 
mal state, the muscles were slow to act, and in both 
feet was felt a most uncomfortable cramp all day 
long. This lasted from June to December, when 

*Lazy, sluggish. 



14 ELECTRICITY. 

her husband, an M. D., called to ask about the ad- 
visability of using the electrical treatment . I urged 
him very strongly to have his wife come in and 
take the treatment. No other treatment had given 
any relief. 

After two months, all cramps had disappeared, 
not to return, the muscles came back to their nor- 
mal state of contractibility, the large veins over the 
legs disappeared, and to-day this lady is a picture 
of perfect health, and suffers no more from those 
dreadful cramps. 



No one can deny that electrotherapy has an ener- 
getic action upon the molecular exchanges, upon 
the phenomena of endosmosis, upon the capillary 
circulation and consequently upon the nutrition of 
of our tissues and organs. 

ELECTROTHERAPY, WHEN NUTRITION IS 
TROUBLED, HAS THE ESPECIAL EFFECT OF BRING- 
ING IT BACK TO THE NORMAL, AND THAT EFFECT 
IS NOT MISSING EVERY TIME THERE IS NO IRRE- 
PARABLE ANATOMICAL LESION. 

ELECTROTHERAPY, IN EVERY DISEASE WHERE 
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM IS A FACTOR, WILL HELP 
GREATLY IF IT DOES NOT ITSELF ALONE AFFECT 
A CURE. 









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